BATTERY’S SO FLAT MOANS TIRED RORY
RORY McILROY blamed fatigue after he crashed out of the WGC Match Play in Texas five days after his thrilling win at Bay Hill.
McIlroy was soundly beaten 5&3 by Brian Harman, his second defeat in three group matches this week.
And the Northern Irishman said he needed to recover before plotting his attack on the first Major of the season at the Masters next month.
“Being in contention, like last week, takes it out of you,” McIlroy said. “It’s all that mental energy.
“I wish I was hanging around for the weekend but I’ll rest up and get a little bit of work in before going to Augusta.
“Bay Hill was tiring. Going from winning on Sunday to travelling on Monday, getting an early practice on Tuesday to play on Wednesday, I didn’t have a lot of time to recharge the batteries.
“I feel like my game is in good shape. I got off to a bit of a scrappy start today. I was two under on the back nine and trying to press but Brian just played really, really well.
“It’s a couple of days extra at home that I wasn’t planning on. I’ll just chill out, rest up a little, recharge the batteries, get into the gym, and just get myself ready for Augusta.”
The 2015 champion, who went into the event on the back of a magnificent win in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, made a mess of the third, fifth and ninth to fall three down and a conceded birdie on the 10th was matched by Harman (below) from eight feet.
Another Harman birdie on the next extended his lead before he gave McIlroy a glimmer of hope by finding water with his approach to the par-five 12th.
However, while McIlroy could only par the short 13th after attempting to drive the green, Harman pitched to four feet for another birdie and the pair were soon shaking hands on the 15th green.
Harman, who ended the group stage unbeaten with two-and-a-half points from three matches, said: “I played really well. It felt like I was able to put some pressure on the golf course and in match play I feel that’s important.
“You can gain a bit of an advantage if you’re first coming into the green – I’ve played with Rory enough times to know that I can’t keep up with him off the tee box.
“But I can hit it plenty far to be aggressive into these greens so it was about playing my game and hitting the tee shots I was capable of. He’s going to do the crazy stuff – his second shot on No.6, I don’t have that in the bag. I don’t think anybody does.”
The American’s win meant he topped the group ahead of compatriot Peter Uihlein, who beat McIlroy on day one and Jhonattan Vegas 4&3 yesterday.