Rory glory bid could Slam shut says Duval

DAVID DUVAL reckons having the door slammed shut on his Grand Slam dream will make the Masters more difficult to win for Rory McIlroy.

The Northern Irish ace was well poised to add the final Major to his collection as he headed into the final round hot on the trail of leader Patrick Reed.

But a disastrous display with his putter cost him in the final round, leaving McIlroy to wait at least another year.

He has had four chances to win The Masters since his 2014 Open glory paved the way for a Grand Slam.

None of the other five golfers to complete a clean sweep needed more than three years to get the job done and former Open winner Duval, who finished second at Augusta twice, said: “You know The Masters is going to be a tough one for Rory.

“After not winning this one these are going to keep stacking up as the years go by and that will make it tougher.

“And there’s no one to say he will win one for sure. We all believe he will but that doesn’t mean he definitely will.”

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.

Playing in the final group with Reed he hit only eight greens in regulation. And after needing 23 putts in his third round he took 30 on Sunday to finish six shots off the pace.

Duval added: “I was surprised – I expected a lot more from Rory.

“It just goes to show that nobody’s exempt from the pressures of trying to win Majors, let alone the career Grand Slam.

“You could see there was a bit of ‘hold on’ in his swing and his putting stroke. He’s going to have to sharpen up things. “