McIlroy smacked his drive on the par-four Number 14 into the trees on the right side of the fairway only to have it land into a spectator's pocket.
After an awkward back-and-forth exchange, McIlroy eventually got the ball from the gentleman's pocket by having the fan hand it to him.
He shook the man's hand laughing at their strange encounter.
McIlroy called an official and got a free drop and went on to make par. But not before he shook the man's hand a second time after the Northern Irishman had blasted his shot out the rough and nicely onto the green.
McIlroy thought he had seen everything in golf until pocket-gate happened.
"It hit up on the tree and ricocheted straight into his pocket," said McIlroy. "I wasn't going in there. I know how sweaty my pockets are. I'm not going into anyone else's."
McIlroy, who already has an Open Championship and a PGA Championship this year, finished with a five-under 65 on Friday, is tied for second two strokes behind leader Billy Horschel.
He would be guaranteed the FedEx Cup and $10 million with a victory at the season finale.
“The FedEx Cup would be the icing on the cake,” said McIlroy. “I wanted to cap it off in style.”
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