I COULD DO WITH EVEN ROR TIME OFF.. Mcilroy ready for a break after slow return
RORY MCILROY feels like taking a fortnight off the PGA Tour after admitting he needs to reset his golf game.
Mcilroy’s joint 11th place finish at the Travelers Championship on Sunday was his best return in the three weeks the Tour has been back after the shutdown.
But there was little to satisfy him after he failed to capitalise on an opening round 63 and finished six shots behind winner Dustin Johnson (inset), who moves back up to third in the world rankings.
A lack of consistency in the world No.1’s game contrasts sharply with his form preshutdown, when he earned six top-five placings on the spin – including a WGC triumph.
“The way I’m feeling right now, I feel like a couple weeks off – just reset and start again,” said Mcilroy, who finished tied 32nd and tied 41st in the first two tournaments since the resumption. “Just getting back into that tournament routine, tournament mode, and that’s why I sort of want a couple weeks off more than anything else.
“It’s just the mental aspect of it, and especially when you are frustrated.
“I’ve been frustrated on the course the last three weeks, not being in contention, and it sort of sucks going off in the middle of the pack on a
Sunday, knowing that you don’t really have a chance.”
The Holywood star will miss this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit and is now expected to make his return in the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village. And he didn’t hold back on selfcriticism as he left TPC River Highlands, despite a final round 67.
“My decision-making was terrible the last few days,” Mcilroy explained. “Just some stupid shots and trying to take too much on at times.
“I think probably playing a little bit... just being a little more thoughtful on the course.
“Yeah, it’s just sort of dumb mistakes in there that I don’t usually make.
“There’s been some really good stuff in there, but then just some really stupid mistakes.
“It’s a little too up and down, a little bit roller coaster-ish, whereas it didn’t really feel like that before we stopped. It was quite consistent and sort of building rounds very nicely, a lot of pars, a few birdies, not many mistakes.
“Just over the last few weeks I’ve made too many mistakes, too many bogeys, too many loose shots, and that was sort of what it was this week as well.”