The only positive for Rory McIlroy at this year's Masters is that he had finished his miserable second round before play was suspended. He’ll hang about in case the cut line moves, of course, but the sad fact is that his quest for that elusive Green Jacket is over for another year.
After failing to get out of first gear yesterday, the Ulsterman slammed into reverse on Friday. He was four over after just seven holes and didn’t manage a birdie until the 13th. A four on 15 offered a glimmer of hope that he might at least make the weekend, but he dropped further shots at 16 and 18. At five over, his race is surely run.
Despite being “untidy” yesterday, even par was certainly no disaster. The world number two, who has been in fine form so far in 2023, winning twice and coming close at the WGC-Dell Match Play, has come from off the pace on many an occasion, and he's no stranger to surging through the field at Augusta.
"It's not disastrous, but I just need to sort of tidy it all up," the 33-year-old told reporters on Thursday, before adding, "Look, I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. Hopefully we don't get affected by it [rain] too much, and we can get out there and play 18 holes uninterrupted, I can shoot something in the mid 60s and get myself back in it."
However, his worse Masters round since 2016 was full of uncharacteristic errors, something that will surely eat away at him until he has the chance to put it behind him at the PGA Championship next month at Oak Hill Country Club in New York, where he is a member.
McIlroy, who averaged 334 yards off the tee yesterday, normally eats up par 5s, but his bogey on the second hole set the tone for a horrid day. After finding a fairway bunker off the tee, he played a perfect lay up before sending his third through the back – which led to a six.
He hit a huge drive at the short par-4 3rd and was in prime position to bounce back immediately. However, a clumsy chip ran off the green, and he could do no better than a bogey.
Not many people would have predicted the poor run to continue – but it did. He three-putted the par-3 6th and when he drove into the pines on 7, the wheels had come off. When he returns to Augusta National next year, it’ll be his tenth attempt at winning the career Grand Slam. He'll be eager to forget this year's effort.
Looking ahead, he also has The Open to look forward to, and a return to Hoylake, where he lifted the Claret Jug in 2014. These are the positives, although they might not be what he has in mind at the moment.
