At the Players Championship, Rory McIlroy has struggled lately, falling eight strokes behind leader Xander Schauffele.
During a challenging few days at the Players Championship, Rory McIlroy has been warned that his shortcomings have been ‘exposed’ as he fell eight shots behind leader Xander Schauffele.
The Northern Irishman’s three days at TPC Sawgrass were eventful, if frustrating. He began the tournament on a positive note with a card of 65 that included ten birdies in the first round. However, he had a mercurial performance in the second round, finishing one-over 73 after hitting five birdies, four bogeys, and a double bogey.
This dramatic swing in luck between the two days coincided with one of the biggest sideshow moments of the competition thus far on Day One. Viktor Hovland and Jordan Spieth, McIlroy’s playing partners, got into a heated argument about where the star should play after McIlroy’s controversial drop on the seventh hole after his ball went into the water.
Eight shots behind Schauffele heading into the final round, he signed for a 69 on day three after making six birdies and one double bogey. McIlroy has made 21 birdies in those three outings, finishing with three in the third round, but his inconsistent play in Florida will cause him some concern.
Paul McGinley, who delivered his assessment of McIlroy’s performance at TPC Sawgrass, has now considered the 34-year-old’sperformance over the course of the three days. The Irishman is concerned about the star’s inconsistent performance, and he didn’t seem to be impressed by the contentious drop moment that started the heated debates on opening day.
In the end, the Dubliner might be able to relate to McIlroy’s frustration, as his form has been severely damaged by his inconsistent performances at the major event on the PGA Tour. In a direct summary of the events, McGinley said: “McIlroy is currently struggling with his game and it’s not coming easy.”
After offering a critical evaluation, he said, “A bit of band-aid going on, trying to play with a fade that worked well for him on the first day.” “His faults were exposed the last couple of days, with water balls off the tee in particular, but he’s putting quite decently,” he continued.
“He has the potential to do well, but the issue is not reaching the top nine, but rather the caliber of players who are ahead of him,” he remarked, acknowledging that McIlroy is currently trailing his competitors.
I’d say his race is over because they’re all going to move forward and some of them will undoubtedly reach the 60s.”
The former World No. 1 may now be focused on the approaching Masters, which starts on April 11, after falling behind the lead group at the Players. Given his vocal criticism of LIV Golf in recent years, he is unlikely to avoid the bright spotlight when he arrives in Augusta either.
At the Masters, the celebrity will compete against some of the top players on the Saudi Arabian circuit, such as Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, and Sergio Garcia, the recent rebel. It is now to be seen if he can tune out the distractions in order to secure the coveted green jacket for himself next month.
