Everytime Rory McIlroy comes back to the Masters, there’s an added weight of history that has sometimes felt like a burden over the past 10 years.
McIlroy won four majors between 2011 and 2014 – twice at the US PGA Championship, as well as the Open and US Open.
That leaves the Masters as the one he needs to become only the sixth man to complete a career grand slam.
This week, the 34-year-old Northern Irishman’s game was not at the level necessary to finally win at Augusta.
He scored a 7-under 71 on Saturday, which left him three points short and, again, too far behind to mount a serious challenge on Sunday.
But the world number two says his mindset will be to go out and “try”.
“If the conditions stay the same and you make four, five or six shots, you’ll move up the rankings. I’ll try to finish the week on a positive note,” said McIlroy, who has six top-10 finishes in his pursuit. a place in golf history.
Defending Champion Jon Rahm made it through the weekend after beating the cut by just one shot, but also failed to score the low score he needed to chase down the leaders.
An uneventful round saw the 29-year-old Spaniard make bogey at the seventh before a birdie at the 17th ensured he signed for a level par 72, leaving him five points for the tournament.
He said not fighting for the title on Sunday was a “sour feeling.”
“In the worst case scenario, I will be part of the ceremony,” added the LIV Golf player, who will present the green jacket to the eventual champion, as tradition dictates.
