The Masters title is not in Rory McIlroy’s possession but it is definitely in his head.
And his latest bid to join golf’s immortals as a career Grand Slam winner was left dead and buried by his horribly flawed second round 77 to leave him 17 shots off the lead. Even on Easter weekend, there was no coming back from this.
When the world No.2 struck his opening drive 338 yards over the bunker and nearly into the next zip code, an American fan on the first tee exclaimed: “Holy Cow!”
The popular Ulsterman walked up the fairway amid a buzz of excitement and cries of C’mon Rory. Forty five minutes later after two careless birdies following botched chips, the chatter had been replaced by embarrassed silence.
The rest of his round was like a funeral march as McIlroy, who plays best when care-free, carried the weight of history around Augusta National on his shoulders like a coffin. A three-putt on No.4 and a pulled drive into the trees on seven saw his slumped body language scream he would rather be anywhere else than in his beautiful corner of Georgia. This paradise has become his golfing purgatory.
Speaking before the Ulsterman’s 15th attempt to win a Green Jacket, two-time champion Bernhard Langer compared him to Ernie Els, another great player who never won here. Asked if it gets harder for McIlroy each year, the German said: “It doesn’t get any easier, put it that way, yes.”
And every year that passes, the chances increase that the four-time Major winner, who famously led by four shots going into the final round in 2011, will never slip his shoulder into a Green Jacket.
But this year had finally seemed to be the year. The 33-year-old returned to world No.1 in the autumn and won in Dubai as he seemed to gain extra motivation and focus from his role as the PGA Tour’s chief spokesman against LIV. A missed cut at The Players saw him change his putter and shorten his driver shaft before playing 81 practice holes on two reconnaissance missions before Masters week.
Yet for the fifth consecutive Masters, he failed to break par in his opening round as he carded a 72. And even his on-course “walk and talk” caused controversy as he spoke to the host broadcaster at the request of the Masters.
Three-time champion Sir Nick Faldo tweeted: “Every interview I’ve done this week is all about giving 100% concentration to yourself and the task at hand, so why?” Can you imagine Tiger Woods agreeing to star in golf’s version of reality TV during his bid to win a Major?
After his first round McIlroy was asked if he only did it because he had just birdied the eighth hole. “No, it's fine,” he laughed. I'm temperamental. I'm not that temperamental.”
But the Ulsterman’s display of emotions and his vulnerability makes him so appealing to fans and the media - and is also a weakness which has stopped him winning more Majors. Or any since the 2014 US PGA.
When McIlroy’s right hand came off his club as he dumped his second shot at the 11th into water, he also seemed to be waving goodbye to the weekend.
He finally made birdies at 13 and 15 but could only smile - or grimace - when his four-foot par putt on the 16th green did not touch the hole. A seventh and final bogey via the trees on 18 saw him card his worst final round score since his infamous closing 80 in 2011.
McIlroy will be back for his 16th attempt to win the Masters in 2024 aged 34. But just get used to the idea that it might not ever happen.
