Rory McIlroy has just this week’s defence of his WGC title in Texas to get back to some consistency before teeing up in the Masters.
In a complete turnaround from his third round, McIlroy grabbed two eagles including finishing eagle, par and birdie in a blistering seven under par to get back from
McIlroy’s effort over the four days included scores of 75, 67, 75 and jumping more than 40 places up the leader board with a closing 65.
On Saturday, McIlroy had equalled an unwanted PGA Tour first in posting three double bogeys in his second three over par round for the event.
It had been the fourth occasion McIlroy has posted doubles in a single round since starting on the PGA Tour.
However, he produced yet another chalk-and-cheese display this year with a closing score that including two eagles along with a birdie at the last.
‘Not so priceless!’ Rory McIlroy will need to find some consistency in his game if he’s to win next month’s Masters after a roller-coaster showing in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Picture: Golffile | Mark Davison
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“It has been an up and down week and that’s the story of my tournament, and it’s sort of been the story of my year as well,” he said.
“I’ve played some great golf and not great golf. I’ve made a lot of mistakes as well. It’s just something I need to work on going into next week at the Match Play but that’s — the sort of golf I’m playing, that tends to do well in Match Play.
“There’s been lots of birdies, lot of mistakes but I need to figure it out going into Augusta.
“And this last round will give me a lot of confidence going into this week in Texas and then into the Masters.
“Today was the best I played all week. I played well. I mean the last two starts that I’ve had again, there’s been a couple of 65s in there, lot of good golf and rounds but mistakes.
“The good stuff is in there. So, as I keep saying, I just need to eradicate the bad stuff.”
Earlier McIlroy stormed through the field with birdies at two, four and five before finding the back of the green at the par five sixth hole in two and then singing his 20-foot eagle putt.
He then birdied the ninth to be six under for the day and nine shots fewer than a day earlier.
McIlroy then horribly doubled the par three 14th but redeemed himself in landing his 165-yard second shot at the par five 16th to two yards from the pin and also holed the putt for an eagle ‘3’.
And then was wild applause at the last when he sank a 60-footer for birdie.
“To see that putt drop there as the last was a nice way to finish the week,” he said.
“You’re just trying to lag it up close and as soon as I hit it, I know it was a good speed and when it was about 10 to 15 feet from the hole I thought it had a chance.
But despite a bright finish to an otherwise dull performance at Bay Hill, McIlroy is likely to lose his World No. 2 ranking and trade places with Aussie No. 3 Jason Day.
McIlroy will head to Austin, Texas for Wednesday’s starting defence of the WGC – Dell Match-Play Championship.
He then will have a week off, and choosing not the contest next fortnight’s Shell Houston Open, before a second straight attempt of trying to win the Masters and Grand Slam double.
