WHAT’S THE STORY RORY?
McIlroy’s hitting top form at just the right time... but stats show he’s still struggling to close out precious victories?
Five weeks out from the Masters the elusive Major the Northern Irishman covets most, his preparations are ticking over nicely.
Top-10 finishes in each of his five appearances in 2019, there is no more consistent each-way bet than McIlroy right now.
Although a title win remains frustratingly just out of reach he is arguably the form player of the year, vindicating his decision to snub the European Tour to help change up his preparations for Augusta.
So where’s the panic? Why are doubts already being cast in some circles over McIlroy’s chances of at last muscling his way into the exclusive club champions who have lifted all four Majors?
The truth is McIlroy’s ability to close the deal at Augusta has been questioned since that infamous back-nine blow-up in 2011 when a four-shot lead evaporated in the trees lining the 10th fairway.
Forget the manner in which he blew away the rest of the field two months later to win the US Open or the clinical charge to PGA glory the following year.
So what if he notched a wireto-wire Open Championship win at Hoylake in 2014 before pipping Phil Mickelson for another PGA title.
McIlroy is haunted by this persistent, unfair accusation he’s not a closer.
Between here and Magnolia Lane the 29-year-old could spare himself a lot of hassle if he grabs a tournament win before teeing off his latest quest for a place in the Grand Slam club. The stats being used against him by his critics serve only to heap more pressure upon his shoulders.
Sunday’s thrilling Arnold Palmer Invitational finish saw Francesco Molinari write another chapter in his remarkable story of the last 12 months, shooting 64 to steal the show and the title.
For McIlroy it was another frustrating story of putting himself within touching distance of victory only to clutch at thin air.
Having teed off in the final group just one shot behind thirdround leader Matt Fitzpatrick, his closing 72 made him the only player inside the top 14 to failed to break par in the last round. It was an ominously familiar situation for McIlroy, whose last nine appearances in a final group ended with him failing to win the title.
The second instance of that run came at last year’s Masters when he failed to put any pressure on playing partner Patrick Reed, limping home in 74 for a share of fifth place.
Cue another miserable journey out of Georgia with familiar criticism ringing in his ears. Now set your watch by the same questions coming his way if he can’t go that one step further into the winner’s circle.
But it would be crazy not to consider McIlroy as the man to beat on an Augusta National set-up that is tailormade for his booming accuracy off the tee.
Imagine the hype if Tiger Woods was in this kind of form, prowling on the fringes of victory every time he stepped out on the course.
Track athletes and swimmers plan entire seasons around tapering their training to ensure they peak at key stages of their season.
Similarities can be drawn with McIlroy, looking for all the world like a man manoeuvring himself into position to strike when it matters most. The big fear is that the doubters get to McIlroy, that their negative talk seeps into his psyche when he steps on to that first tee on Masters Sunday. For now at least he’s insistent that the masterplan remains on course.
Speaking at Bay Hill on Sunday night McIlroy said: “I’m playing good golf. It doesn’t matter if I’m playing that golf on Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
“Yeah, my Sundays haven’t been what I’d have liked but I’m putting myself in that position with good golf. I did everything I wanted to do, I hit fairways, I hit solid shots into greens.
“It’s just asking a lot of yourself to try to hole 25footers all day for birdies.”
Stick a few of irons 10 feet closer and find the kind of hot streak that Molinari summoned from his putter on Sunday and the next win will not be far away, perhaps even at this week’s Players Championship.
If he has to wait another four weeks beyond that so much the better.