McIlroy shows hot form only to get schooled on Sundays

Rory McIlroy is playing his most consistent golf since the end of 2011 and the start of 2012, when he finished no worse than third in nine out of 12 tournaments worldwide with two victories, the latter in the Honda Classic that put him at No 1 in the world for the first time.

The difference is winning.

His tie for sixth last week at Bay Hill was his worst finish in five starts on the PGA Tour this year. McIlroy preaches patience, and the real measure will be at the Masters next month when he tries to complete the career Grand Slam.

What stands out is that Bay Hill was the ninth time in his last 30 tournaments dating to 2018 that he played in the final group without winning.

“I’m playing well. I would much rather be putting myself in position to have a chance to win,” McIlroy said after he closed with a 72 at Bay Hill.

He started the final round one shot behind Matt Fitzpatrick and wound up four shots behind Francesco Molinari.

“It doesn’t matter if I’m playing that golf on Thursday, Friday, Saturday . . . yeah, my Sundays haven’t been what I would have liked,” McIlroy said when pressed about his chances from the final group.

Of those nine times in the final group, he was at least three shots behind in five of them. The only time someone came from further back to win on those five occasions was at Kapalua, where Xander Schauffele closed with a 62. The others were against Dustin Johnson in Mexico, Tiger Woods at the Tour Championship, Justin Thomas at Firestone and Patrick Reed at the Masters.

Bay Hill was the only time McIlroy didn’t break par in the final round.

Still, he had his chances. The turning point was on the fourth hole, right after he made a 25-foot birdie putt to tie for the lead. He had a 5-foot birdie putt that he missed. He missed another birdie chance on the par-5 sixth, and the hole started shrinking.

He managed only two birdies in the final round.

Next up is The Players Championship, a real test for McIlroy. He has missed the cut four times in nine appearances.

“That’s the great thing about golf,” McIlroy said. “You don’t have to wait too long to get back on the horse.”

Jason Day made it through only six holes at Bay Hill before withdrawing with a bad back. He’s ready to go at The Players Championship after consulting a doctor.