When Rory McIlroy returned home late Sunday to his palatial Florida abode he could sit back feeling proud despite the Augusta dream of a career Grand Slam now on hold for 12 months.
McIlroy had been in an uncharacteristic ‘strange’ mood from the start of the week firstly brushing off any approach for comments following his first official Masters practice round on Monday.
His formal Tuesday press conference seemed a PR flop given but was only as it came straight after Tiger Woods fronting the media for a first occasion in more than two months.
McIlroy was also ‘reserved’ without the ‘spring in his step’ manner through the four days of competition and the type of character we have come to admire from the 25-year old, and also given he played the fourth round with boyhood idol Tiger Woods.
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods shake hands at the end of the final round of the 79th Masters. (Photo – Getty)
It was not to late Sunday, and with McIlroy securing his best-ever Masters result of fourth, that his much-loved demeanor and those boyish smiles returned.
“I wish I would have finished off a little bit better but I’m very happy with how I played over the last couple of days,” he said on leaving Augusta.
“For the last 45 holes I was 15-under par and that’s comforting.
“So I’m very happy with how I finished, but just left myself with a bit too much to do after 27 holes of this tournament and that’s what really cost me.”
Having began his 2015 Masters campaign somewhat slowly and then come home so strong raised calls whether McIlroy should have contested one or both of the ‘Texas Two-Step’ tournaments, as new Masters winner Jordan Spieth had done, but McIlroy was comfortable with taking the three weeks off.
Rory McIlroy can be very proud of securing his best finish in the Masters despite not capturing a career Grand Slam. (Photo -www.pgatour.com)
“I felt I prepared really, really well for the Masters and I went to Augusta feeling good and, I felt like I played okay on Thursday,” he insisted.
“I got into red numbers on day one and it was just my start on Friday, being three over par after nine, that killed me.
“So I just left myself too much to do after 27 holes and with that 40 on the front nine on Friday, that just left me an uphill battle.
“It was great achievement from there to get myself in for the weekend rounds and to make the most of a great finish on Friday.”
In a huge plus McIlroy produced a remarkable turnaround on the 16 par fives over the four days.
In all his discussions ahead of the Masters he remarked it was the main area he needed to address after having played the par fives in 2014 at level par while Bubba Watson was eight under.
McIlroy left Augusta on Sunday night being a massive 14-under on the par fives that included two eagles, and winning his two sets of Augusa crystal goblets, and a dozen birdies.
Indeed he was five under par for the 13th and four under on the 15th.
McIlroy is now heading back into another fortnight’s break ahead of the WGC – Cadillac Match-Play at the end of this month in San Francisco.
When quizzed what he had learnt in a seventh Masters McIlroy remarked: “I think just not get ahead of myself.
“The good thing is that I am getting better and better each time I play this golf course.
“I set a target of playing the par 5s in 12-under par and I managed to do better than this week.
“But honestly, coming back here and if you had of given me 12-under par for the week I would have taken that.
“So there is just a few guys above me on the board who played really, really good golf.
“As I said I played great for the last 45 holes but it just didn’t happen for the first 27.”
And while McIlroy will continued to be burdened by his Grand Slam quest he still has three Majors ahead in this year to look forward to, and three Majors where he name already appears on each of the three trophies.
“First and foremost I am playing well and this isn’t just about next year’s Masters as I have a whole lot of golf to play this year.
“I still have three more Majors to contest and I am really happy where my game is at.
“And I feel like I am at a place where I can win a lot of golf tournaments from now till the end of the year.”
