The University of Texas golfer was allegedly seen having his phone taken by McIlroy as he walked off the tee box

Rory McIlroy was interested only in his good start to The Players Championship on Thursday than discussing a heckling incident in which he took the phone of a University of Texas player who had heckled him during a practice round.

Few have the experience of playing the Stadium Course as McIlroy and certainly not three of the players directly ahead of him on the leaderboard.