The Masters 2024: Rory McIlroy struggling with his game as Grand Slam bid falls short at Augusta National | Golf News

Rory McIlroy admitted there’s “a number of room for enchancment” in his recreation heading into the remainder of the 12 months after one other failed profession Grand Slam bid at The Masters.

McIlroy had carded his lowest opening spherical at The Masters since 2018 when he posted a one-under 71 on Thursday, though did not register a single birdie in a second-round 77 that dropped him down the leaderboard.

The four-time main champion mentioned he would ‘give it a go’ after a third-round 71 left him needing to overturn a 10-stroke deficit on the ultimate day, the place one other irritating 73 noticed him finish the week on 4 over and take his wait to finish the profession Grand Slam into an eleventh 12 months.

“I do not actually know what to say,” McIlroy admitted post-round. “Simply kind of felt like my recreation was OK and managed it fairly properly, however clearly Friday was a extremely powerful day, and dropping 5 pictures kind of put me in a fairly tough place going into the weekend.

“Then the circumstances had been fairly powerful. The greens are crusty and agency and laborious to get the ball tremendous shut and laborious to make a ton of birdies.

“When you get seven or eight again going into the weekend right here, it is laborious to make up that floor,” McIlroy added. “I assume it is extra the identical of what I’ve proven this 12 months.

“It isn’t as if it has been a down week compared to the best way I have been enjoying. It is only a matter of me attempting to get my recreation in a bit higher form going in direction of the remainder of the season.”

Flat main Sunday for McIlroy

Any hopes of a final-day cost from McIlroy instantly ended when he missed the opening inexperienced with a wedge and did not stand up and down to save lots of par, then three-putted for par on the par-five second after firing his second to inside 20 toes.

McIlroy ended a par streak by two-putting for birdie on the par-five eighth and holing from 20 toes on the ninth, seeing him attain the flip in crimson figures for the day, just for him to fail to stand up and down from the sand to save lots of par on the tenth.

He safely made the par on the primary two holes of Amen Nook however grew to become unstuck on the par-five thirteenth, carding a four-putt bogey from distance after reaching the inexperienced in two, though responded by getting up and right down to birdie the par-five fifteenth for the primary time of the week.

McIlroy’s wayward strategy into the seventeenth resulted in one other dropped shot, sending him again to over par for the spherical, whereas closing par rounding off the newest disappointing bid to finish the profession Grand Slam.

“I must take somewhat little bit of time and mirror on this week and what I did properly, what I did not accomplish that properly, and kind of attempt to make a plan for the subsequent few months, particularly from right here going by means of clearly to the tip of July. Hopefully get myself in a bit higher kind for these final three.

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“They don’t seem to be horrible weeks by any stretch, however there’s loads of room for enchancment. I am shut in some methods, however then I really feel fairly distant in others. As soon as I get one factor, kind of put that to mattress, then one other factor pops up, and it is simply a kind of on the minute.”

Time for change for McIlroy?

McIlroy made a visit to Las Vegas final month for a four-hour lesson with Butch Harmon, one thing he has finished a number of occasions throughout his profession, with the Northern Irishman insisting that he hasn’t but reached the purpose the place he must make vital adjustments in his recreation.

“If you happen to’re actually going to make wholesale adjustments it is laborious to play loads of golf and make them on the similar time,” McIlroy added. “I do not really feel like I must make wholesale adjustments – that is why I am enjoying so much.

“If the time comes that I must make wholesale adjustments with my golf swing and actually attempt to reassess, it may very well be a six-month to a 12 months course of. Not saying I would not play any tournaments in that point, however the focus can be on the kind of technical aspect of issues and actually not result-driven.

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“I do not assume I am there but, however there might come a time once I want to handle that and actually return to the drafting board.”

The place will McIlroy characteristic subsequent?

McIlroy heads to South Carolina subsequent for the RBC Heritage, starting Thursday and the newest of the PGA Tour’s Signature Occasions, with the Northern Irishman then teaming up with Shane Lowry to make his debut on the Zurich Traditional of New Orleans the next week.

That workforce occasion will likely be McIlroy’s fourth begin in as many weeks, having additionally performed 4 occasions in a five-week stretch earlier in his PGA Tour marketing campaign, with the Northern Irishman then scheduled to take his birthday week off forward of returning on the Wells Fargo Championship (Could 9-12).

McIlroy will likely be hoping for a report fourth profession title at Quail Hole, earlier than having one other alternative to finish his main drought when the PGA Championship takes place at Valhalla the next week.

The 34-year-old has dedicated to the RBC Canadian Open from Could 30-June 2, an occasion he has received twice, with McIlroy additionally scheduled to play the Memorial Event (June 6-9) earlier than heading to the US Open at Pinehurst from June 16-19.

Watch Rory McIlroy in motion all through the PGA Tour season reside on Sky Sports activities. McIlroy options subsequent on the RBC Heritage, with Featured Group protection reside on Thursday from 12.15pm forward of full protection from 7pm on Sky Sports activities Golf.

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