PGA Tour caddie confesses to his own behaviour during Rory McIlroy swing - 'Not it'

Former NFL quarterback Derek Anderson swapped the gridiron for the golf green after making his debut caddying in a event. And the 41-year-old was left gobsmacked after witnessing Rory McIlroy tee off with a majestic shot.

During his notable 14-year career, where he claimed a Pro Bowl spot in 2007 following an impressive season with the Cleveland Browns, Anderson also had spells with the Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, and Buffalo Bills. However, it seems the football field wasn't the only place he excelled, as once crowned him the best golfer in the league. Anderson was called upon to caddy for Kevin Chappell at the recent Zurich Classic, who was partnered with Tom Hoge. The four-ball format paired them with Shane Lowry and McIlroy in New Orleans. However, newly-turned caddie Anderson couldn't hide his amazement when hit his first drive.

"So, we get to the tee. Obviously, there's a pecking order on where you stand on the tee. I figured that out pretty quickly," Anderson said on the podcast. "I was going to be in the back most of the day."

"[McIlroy] pulls a driver, smashes it, goes up in the air, and I'm like [cheering]. I looked around and I was like, 'No, not it.'"

On whether Chappell noticed his peculiar cheerleading, Anderson confessed, "I don't think he even saw it. After I did it, we were like walking down the fairway and he was like, 'let's go', and I kind of got into it and said, 'we're gonna kick some a** today'. I kind of got away from the fact that I'm watching Rory."

Chappell and Hoge edged out McIlroy and Lowry by a shot in the opening round, prompting Anderson to quip: "I might have had something to do with that!" Following their impressive nine-under-par start, the American pair managed to make the final cut, but ultimately ended up at the bottom of the pack in 36th place with a -14.

McIlroy, fresh from his Masters victory, teamed up with Shane Lowry as the defending champions at the Zurich Classic. The formidable duo finished T12 on -22, trailing six shots behind the victorious Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin.

Back in 2017, ESPN highlighted Anderson's scratch golfer status and his aspirations to play in the Masters by clinching the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. Having spent time around numerous professional golfers, Anderson shared his insights gained from observing McIlroy's approach to the game.

"I was kind of never a huge Rory guy. I've always liked him and been impressed with his game, but the way that he carries himself and what he's doing on the golf course, there's intent," Anderson admitted. "You can see, like, 'I'm the guy, my bag goes here, and I'm gonna whack it.'

"He wants to kind of have some of that Tiger intimidation. He doesn't act like it. He's confident in what he's doing, the way he goes about it, and the way he hits it. He doesn't b****. He hit one in a lake, and Shane hit one in a lake, and nothing changed. They just went about it and kept going."

Anderson added: "That's what I thought was most impressive. All the guys we saw out there hit bad shots. I hit a lot of bad shots, I get p***** and by the time I get to 13, I'm like, 'I want to go in'. These guys just keep going."