PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – Rory McIlroy’s Saturday charge at The Open Championship was derailed by one of the wildest situations in recent memory.

After hitting his tee shot right of the 11th fairway and into a trampled-down area where spectators had walked, McIlroy’s recovery shot was impeded as he made contact and another ball miraculously popped out of the ground.

McIlroy’s ball landed in the fairway, short of the 11th green, and the second ball, settled just a few feet from McIlroy. It’s unclear if/how much the second ball may have impacted the result of McIlroy’s shot.

“Oh my god,” McIlroy said as he realized the ball, buried underground, was unearthed by his swing. McIlroy picked the ball up and laughed before tossing it aside.

“Have you ever seen that before?” McIlroy asked NBC on-course analyst Jim “Bones” McCabe as he walked back into the fairway.

McIlroy, 3-under for the round at 6-under overall at the time, was unable to get up and down from short of the 11th green, dropping one shot and stifling what had been a promising start to his third round. Beginning the day seven shots back of leader Scottie Scheffler, McIlroy got as close as four shots when he birdied the first, second and fourth holes. He missed obtainable birdies at the fifth and seventh holes to make the turn in 33 before the bad break at the 11th.

It didn’t take long for McIlroy to get the shot back, though. The world No. 2 rolled in a 56-foot eagle putt on the par-5 12th to revive his chances and inject a shot of life back into the thousands of home country supporters.

No matter McIlroy’s final result at Royal Portrush, he’ll remember the 11th hole of his third round. We all will, too.