Kim defends McIlroy's integrity after controversial two-shot penalty.

Rory McIlroy was handed a two-shot penalty during the first round of the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship on Thursday.

The penalty came after an incident on the par-4 12th hole at Yas Links.

McIlroy’s approach shot went over the green.

His first chip failed to reach the putting surface, and the ball rolled back toward his feet into a divot.

Television cameras then showed McIlroy’s club flattening some of the grass behind the ball as he prepared for his second attempt.

Rules officials reviewed the footage after the round and ruled that McIlroy had improved his lie.

The penalty turned what had been a double bogey into a quadruple-bogey 8.

McIlroy signed for a 2-under-par 70, leaving him eight shots behind leader Francesco Laporta.

Despite the penalty, the world No. 2 insisted there was no intent.

“There’s no intent. I play by the rules,” McIlroy told reporters.

“I try to do everything that I can to never end up in these positions.

“But just by looking at the video, it doesn’t look very good.”

McIlroy explained that he was trying to get a feel for the lie.

“In the process, this piece of grass has sort of laid down,” he said.

“I guess the technical term for the rule is if you press down on the piece.

“I don’t feel like I pressed down. But at the same time, I don’t want the perception of people thinking like I got away with something, either.

“So I’m happy to take a two-shot penalty and move on and move into tomorrow.”

McIlroy accepted the penalty without protest.

But the video sparked debate among fans and analysts about whether the action was intentional.

That is where Michael Kim entered the conversation.

Kim, a PGA Tour player, took to social media to defend McIlroy.

He wrote: “There are certain players I won’t question their golf integrity. Rory is one of those.

“He once gave himself a worse lie after a fan picked up his ball.

“This is a non issue (with Rory anyway).”

Kim’s comment references an incident from McIlroy’s past that many fans may not remember.

McIlroy has a history of handling his lie with scrupulous fairness.

The reference to giving himself a worse lie after a fan picked up his ball underscores Kim’s point.

Kim’s defense is notable because he is a fellow professional who has no stake in the outcome of the Abu Dhabi event.

He is simply vouching for McIlroy’s character based on years of watching him play.

McIlroy is a six-time major champion and one of the most recognizable figures in golf.

He has never faced a serious accusation of cheating in his career.

The incident at Yas Links is the kind of borderline rules violation that golf has struggled with for years.

A number of players have been accused of suspicious actions in similar situations.

Recent high-profile examples include Wyndham Clark at the US Open and Bryson DeChambeau at The Open Championship.

In each case, television cameras captured players making contact with grass or ground behind the ball in the rough.

The rule in question is Rule 8.1b of the Rules of Golf.

It prohibits a player from improving the area of their intended swing by pressing down on the ground or grass.

The penalty for a breach is two strokes in stroke play.

McIlroy was using a wedge on the 12th hole.

Given the nature of the shot, there is a strong chance he did not see the grass moving under his club.

It is also hard to imagine he would have felt the grass beneath the sole of the club.

But the video evidence was clear enough for officials to act.

The tournament at Yas Links is the first of the DP World Tour’s two-event playoffs.

McIlroy is chasing a record-tying eighth Race to Dubai title.

He sits third in the standings, behind Eugenio Chacarra and Patrick Reed.

Despite the penalty, McIlroy goes into the second round level with Chacarra and four shots clear of Reed.

The three men are playing together for the first two rounds.

Chacarra admitted to feeling some nerves while also getting used to a new driver.

His previous driver, used since February, broke during Wednesday’s pro-am.

The incident has also sparked discussion about whether the rules need to change.

Critics argue that players should not be allowed to touch the grass or ground in the rough until they are addressing the ball and about to take a shot.

Once the club drops behind the ball, the player cannot change clubs because they have realized the lie is worse than they initially thought.

Supporters of a rule change say there has to be a greater penalty for missing the fairway.

If McIlroy went into that situation knowing he could not touch the ground or grass until locked in to hit the shot, he might still be able to make the lie slightly easier with his takeaway.

But the rule as written allows for some ambiguity.

That ambiguity is what leads to controversy.

McIlroy’s handling of the situation — accepting the penalty without argument — has drawn praise from many quarters.

Golf Digest ran a headline saying McIlroy “just showed us how to handle a rules controversy.”

The article noted that the way a player responds to a penalty can define their reputation as much as the incident itself.

McIlroy chose transparency over defiance.

He admitted the footage looked bad.

He said he did not feel the grass move.

He accepted the two-shot penalty.

And he moved on.

Kim’s defense adds another layer to the story.

It separates McIlroy from players who have been accused of deliberately manipulating their lies.

Kim’s point is simple: McIlroy’s track record of integrity means he deserves the benefit of the doubt.

The incident also comes at a time when golf is dealing with broader questions about integrity.

LIV Golf, the breakaway league that divided the sport for five years, recently announced it will wind down operations.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund ended its financial backing in April after spending more than $5 billion.

LIV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

A restructuring agreement with BC Partners fell through when BC dropped its $300 million bid to fund LIV’s 2027 season.

McIlroy was one of LIV’s fiercest opponents from the start.

He has made no secret of his feelings about the league.