Why Rory McIlroy Remains The Most Brilliantly Frustrating Golfer

Read Derek Clements' View From The Fairway.

RORY McILROY may just be the most frustrating golfer in the world. His second-place finish at The Masters earlier this month was his best result in a major since he finished joint second at The Open in 2018 at Carnoustie, two shots back of Francesco Molinari. It's now eight years since he won the PGA Championship for a second time in 2014.

His final-round 64 at Augusta was sprinkled with magic dust as he finally played with a mixture of freedom and brilliance, hitting fairways for fun, draining putts from all sorts of distances and finishing it all off with a wondrous holed bunker shot at the 72nd hole.

"I gave it a great go, and I can't ask any more of myself," McIlroy said.

This is a telling statement from a man who has won four majors and measures his year by his performances in the sport’s biggest and most important tournaments. 

Couldn’t ask more of himself? I am sorry Rory but you you most certainly could ask more of yourself. You could put yourself in a decent position going into the final round. 

Yes, his 64 was wondrous, but he had yet again given himself too much to do. His 135 total over the weekend was easily the best in the field, but he began the week with a pair of 73s and went into the third round trailing winner Scottie Scheffler by 10 shots.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

"I went out there, shot my best ever score at Augusta and it's my best finish ever,” he said. "It's not quite good enough, but I'll come back next year and keep trying.

"You dream about getting yourself in position [major contention]. I wasn't quite close enough to the lead, Scottie [Scheffler] is playing really, really well. To play as well as I did today and then to finish like this, I mean, it's just absolutely incredible.

"This tournament never ceases to amaze. Yeah, that's as happy as I've ever been on a golf course right there. Just having a chance, and then with Collin [Morikawa], we both played so well all day, and for both of us to finish like this, I was just so happy for him too."

McIlroy's performance was his best in 14 attempts at Augusta National, beating the fourth-place finish in 2015.

Please don’t get me wrong. I am a huge fan of McIlroy but I just wish that he could find a way of stringing four rounds together.