Rory McIlroy on Phil Mickelson's Infamous US Open Putt: 'Honestly, I Laughed'

Rory McIlroy thought some of the reaction to Phil Mickelson's unique putt in the third round of the 2018 U.S. Open went a bit overboard and didn't view Mickelson's bending of the rules as an affront to the game.

"I saw what happened (after practice), and honestly, I laughed," McIlroy said, per USA Today's William S. Paxton. "I felt there was a massive overreaction to it. Knowing Phil, he knew what he was doing, and as a player who has been in that head space before in a tournament, I can see it happening."

Mickelson received a two-stroke penalty on the 13th hole of his third round after he struck a moving ball on the green:

U.S. Open (USGA) A remarkable sequence on Hole 13, where Phil…