Augusta, GA …
Rory McIlroy admitted he was all prepared to wear his Masters winning green jacket to his wedding next fortnight had he won at Augusta National
McIroy posted a final round 69 and his lowest all week to be in the clubhouse sharing eighth place on three under par.
The effort is McIlroy’s fourth top-10 finish in succession and he returns to Augusta next year on the 10th anniversary of his Masters debut and looking for a fourth year in a row to win the one Major to take him to golfing immortality.
“It continues to go in the right direction and every time I come back here I feel I have more and more of a chance to win so hopefully when I come back here next year for my 10th Masters it will be a 10th time lucky,” he said.
“Coming off the golf course now I am frustrated but I am encouraged again by how I felt going around the course for the four days.
“I felt comfortable. I felt like I had a really good chance. I prepared really well having come up here
“It was quite a consistent steady Masters for me and it just wasn’t quite good enough. I felt like I had an opportunity on Saturday with a score in the high sixties that would have got me closer but I just didn’t to that.
“So, again it was a case of what could have been and while it is another missed opportunity I will focus on the U.S. Open coming up.”
McIlroy went into the final round with Masters history on his side but really no chance of victory.
Texan Jack Burke Jnr had come from eight back in a record-setting Augusta ‘come-from-behind’ victory in posting a 71.
What McIlroy needed a Masters miracle to make-up the six-shot difference.
McIlroy got the start he wanted birding the par five second for a third day running but the for a first time this week he bogeyed the fourth.
He was two under for the weekend in again birding the par five, eighth hole before a birdie a third of Augusta’s par fives at 13 before landing a 180-yard tee shot to six foot left of the flag at 16.
However, is was playing partner, Matt Kuchar bringing the crowd to their feet and collecting the 19th ace at 16 in the history of the Masters.
‘Kuch’ then delighted a young patron, wearing a bright orange shirt, first signing the ball and presenting it to the young man.
McIlroy also received warm applause in sinking a fourth birdie.
Then at the last, and for a second day in succession, McIlroy hit the flagstick with his wedge third shot ahead of rolling in the four-foot putt.
McIlroy is expected to marry American-born Erica Stroll on the weekend of April 23rd and 24th at Ashford Castle in Ireland and saying the couple will go on a traditional honeymoon.
“I’m excited to be getting married. It’s a great time in my life.
And when asked if he would have worn the Masters green jacket to his wedding he boldly declared: “It would have been nice to walk down the isle in a green jacket and I would have done that if the Augusta members and also Mr. Payne.
“But we are very excited and it’s all about the wedding over the next few weeks and I will come back to the Players refreshed and as a married man and start a new chapter in my life.
“Also we are going to have a honeymoon as I want to do it right and spending 10 days in the middle of nowhere and get away from it all.”
