World No. 1 Rory McIlroy left the Players Championship frustrated once again in finishing among the top-10 for a third year running on the TPC Sawgrass course.

Dressed in a pink shirt as a tribute to U.S. Mother’s Day, McIlroy got into red birdie figures on just three occasions in the sweltering conditions with birdies at two and then back-to-back birdies in a round of a two under par 70 for an eight-under par tally.

Rory McIlroy leaves Players Championship ‘frustrated’ after third top-8 Sawgrass finish in three years.

On a positive note McIlroy was eight under on the par fives but then he was one over par on the Sawgrass front nine for the four rounds and nine under over the inward half of the Pete Dye designed course.

And in the bigger picture the result is McIlroy’s ninth top-10 in 15 events in the past year since the 2014 Players competing on both the PGA and European Tour.

“My game is right there and I am expecting a week if I hole putts then I will be in winning position,” he said.

“But then I am leaving Sawgrass frustrated again and it’s that sort of golf course and you look at the scores and I am only three behind the leader with no one going low.

“So that’s why I am coming off the course frustrated in feeling I have left five to 10 shots out there this week.

“But then ball-striking wise I am really happy where I am tee to green and I am in a very good place going into the summer”.

“So if I continue more of the same with that and as I said, give myself plenty of opportunities for birdies and just hole a few more putts I should be fine.

“So there is a lot of positives I can take away from this week.”

McIlroy was returning south to Palm Beach Gardens before heading to Charlotte on Wednesday to prepare for the $US 7.1m Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow, and the scene in 2010 of a maiden PGA Tour triumph.

“Going back to Quail Hollow this week is good cause for added excitement as I have good memories and it’s a course I really enjoy,” he said.