McIlroy won’t stop trying after latest Masters flop as world’s best Scheffler leads the way
RORY McIlroy pledged to keep trying to win the Masters and complete the career grand slam after failing to play his way into contention at Augusta National.
McIlroy had not given up hope of challenging for a green jacket despite a birdie-free 77 in extremely testing conditions on Friday leaving him 10 shots off the lead.
The world No 2 noted that he won the Dubai Desert Classic in January from the same position – albeit while acknowledging the different stature of the events – but could only return a third round of 71 on Saturday to remain well off the pace on three over par.
It left McIlroy to set off among the early starters on Sunday, a long way off the players vying for the green jacket, led by Scottie Scheffler who started the final round on seven under par, one shot clear of Collin Morikawa and two ahead of another American Max Homa.
Swedish rookie Ludwig Aberg started the final round three back.
“All I can do is come here and try my best,” said McIlroy after a round containing three birdies and two bogeys.
“That’s what I do every time I show up. Some years it’s better than others. I’ve just got to keep showing up and try to do the right thing.
“I made good progress last week in San Antonio, I would say my strokes gained approach numbers today were probably pretty good. So it’s getting better. It’s definitely better than what it was through the Florida swing.”
Asked how much his patience had been tested this week, the fourtime major winner said: “A lot. But it’s this tournament and this golf course and especially these conditions.
“That’s all you can be (patient).
You can’t really do anything else. You’ve got to try to have as much acceptance as possible and try to keep hitting good shots and move on.
“Obviously conditions were a little easier than yesterday. Still tricky, though. Greens are firm. Some of the hole locations are really tough, especially some of the downwind holes with the pins at the front.
“It’s hard to get the ball close and then you sort of just have to take your chances from 20, 25 feet.
“But I definitely hit the ball better today, gave myself a lot of looks. Missed a few, but shooting something under par was a decent effort. I made three birdies today compared to zero yesterday, so nice to see some red numbers on the card.”
Twenty-four-year-old Aberg only turned professional 10 months ago. No player has won the Masters on their major championship debut, but Aberg has defied the odds ever since joining the paid ranks, winning on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour and justifying his wild card by helping Europe regain the Ryder Cup in Rome.
Aberg and Ryder Cup team-mate Nicolai Hojgaard both have the chance of becoming the first player since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 to win on their Masters debut, with Hojgaard briefly holding the outright lead following a hat-trick of birdies from the eighth on Saturday.
But Hojgaard then bogeyed the next five holes and started the final round five shots off the pace.
After triple-bogeying the last on Friday to fall from four-under to one under, Sheffield’s former champion Danny Willett shot a 76 on Saturday to drop out of contention, although it has still been a good week for the 2016 winner in his first tournament back since shoulder surgery.
Fellow Yorkshireman Matt Fitzpatrick started the final round on one over par.
Defending champion Jon Rahm admitted he had a “sour feeling” following a third round of 72 which left him five over.