McIlroy: Cart-path shot 'only option I had'

Rory McIlroy didn't exactly ease his way into the second round of the PGA Championship on Friday.

McIlroy, who started on the par-5 10th hole, flew his second shot well right of the green, and watched it roll down a service path near the 11th tee box. The Northern Irishman would be granted a free drop, but had a narrow window to play his third.

However, McIlroy got creative with his attempt, electing to skip the ball off the path toward the green with a 6-iron.

"It was really the only option I had," McIlroy told Nick Menta of the Golf Channel. "I dropped it in a pretty bad lie, so I couldn't carry it over the cart path. So I hit a 6-iron. Just said, 'OK, I'll bounce it up the cart path and see where this goes. I was just trying to get it in the bunker, and luckily I hit it with enough speed, and it got up and out of there."

McIlroy's decision proved to be the right one as he would eventually card a par on the hole.