McILROY WILL NOW FIND IT HARDER AND HARDER TO COMPLETE THE SLAM
RORY McILROY will find his mission to win the Masters more difficult every year after his latest failure, according to David Duval.
And the American former world No.1 claimed the Ulsterman froze under the pressure of trying to complete his career Grand Slam.
McIlroy has now had four attempts to win the Masters since his 2014 Open victory. None of the other five Grand Slam holders needed more than three tries to get the job done.
Duval said: “The Masters is going to be a tough one for him and after not winning this one, these are going to keep stacking up as the years go by and that’ll make it tougher and tougher. And there’s no one to say that he will win one for sure. Yeah, we all say he will, maybe we all believe he will – but that doesn’t mean he definitely will.”
The 28-year-old McIlroy, who took a four-shot lead into the final round at Augusta in 2011, risks becoming like Tom Watson and Lee Trevino who won three of the Majors but could never complete the full set.
The four-time Major winner arrived in Augusta after a fine putting display to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month. But playing in the final group with Patrick Reed, the world No.7 hit only eight greens in regulation. And after needing 23 putts in his third round, he took 30 on Sunday in his two-over-par 74 to finish six shots behind winner Reed.
“I was surprised – I expected a lot more from Rory,” Duval added. “It just goes to show that nobody’s exempt from the pressures of trying to win Major championships, let alone completing the career Grand Slam.
“You could see there was a bit of ‘Hold on’ in his golf swing and in his putting stroke. The free-flowingness he had down in Bay Hill and for the first three rounds in this Masters had gone.
“There’s no way of getting around it, hitting eight greens in the final round will never get it done.”
McIlroy, who will next tee up at the Wells Fargo Championship on May 3, insisted he had “100 per cent” belief he could return and win a Green Jacket.
But he added: “I’ll sit down and reflect over the next few days and see what I could have potentially done better. Whether it be mindset or whatever, I didn’t quite have it today.”
JORDAN SPIETH shot eight under par for his final round in an incredible charge which ultimately came up just short. REED made nine birdies in his second round of 66, his best of the week. FINAU bounced back from dislocating his ankle in the par-three tournament to share 10th place with Johnson. THE hardest hole, with a scoring average of 4.4 on the par four. The only birdie there on day three was made by Augusta’s famed marker Jeff Knox, partnering Paul Casey. REED averaged 12 greens in regulation per round. THE record high score taken by Sergio Garcia at the 15th hole in round one, after losing five balls in the water. COMBINED birdies or eagles made by Tiger Woods as he tied 32nd at one over par. REED’S winning score was 15 under par. IN round four, Charley Hoffman added to the long list of holes-in-one at the hole named Redbud. JUSTIN THOMAS’ third round featured 17 greens in regulation, the best of the week. THERE were 18 eagles made at the 13th hole, more than any other on the course.