Rory McIlroy closes with 76 at Bay Hill to finish tied for 10th; the sixth has a double bog ending its hopes; Jordan Spieth inspired by form despite late slips; watch the Players Tournament live on Sky Sports The Players
Last updated: 08/03/21 12:33 am
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Rory McIlroy made a stunning rebound to save a two-stroke at the sixth par-five, despite hitting his first two tee shots in the water!
Rory McIlroy made a stunning rebound to save a two-stroke at the sixth par-five, despite hitting his first two tee shots in the water!
Rory McIlroy will be the defending champion at the Players Championship this week after winning at TPC Sawgrass in 2019, but admits he is “sparkless” at the moment.
The Northern Irishman has not won since November 2019 and, although he finished with another top-10 finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he admits there is something missing in his game.
McIlroy was well placed to put up a final challenge at Bay Hill but saw his hopes come to an end after he twice found the water at the sixth par-five on his way to a bog. double.
He also made a mix of five bogs with three birdies in a four-over 76 that left him eight strokes behind winning Bryson DeChambeau.
McIlroy found water twice at sixth before making an ‘eagle’ with his third ball
“Some parts were good this week again,” McIlroy said. “Things I don’t know how to tell, but just a little sad or maybe looking to go the other way.
“I don’t know. I need something, I need a spark, I need something and I don’t seem to have it. Some days it’s good, some days it’s not.
“So I’ll go up there [Sawgrass] tomorrow, get some practice in and get ready for next week. “
The Players ’Championship was dropped last year after one round due to a coronary virus outbreak and McIlroy is excited to play in front of a crowd, albeit with less potential, again in Florida.
McIlroy won at TPC Sawgrass in 2019 but has not won since November of that year
He said: “I’m really pleased that we played this week in this atmosphere and environment. I’ve really missed this. Even if it’s just that, whatever the 25 per cent capacity of the player. This week, it feels a lot more than that and it’s good to play in front of that, I’m looking forward to doing it again next week.
“I think we are all like this now seeing a light at the end of the tunnel where things will at least get back to normal very quickly. But I can’t believe it’s been a year.
“It’s going to be amazing to look back in 20 years and kind of see what we’ve been living through. But I’m looking forward to things going back to normal. “
How the players won 2019
March 8, 2021, 7:00 p.m.
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Jordan Spieth dropped three hits over the closing four holes and finished tied for a quarter on six under after piling 75.
That meant a bit of frustration for the Americans but he is still encouraged by his improved form a few weeks ago.
Jordan Spieth did not win from the 2017 Open
“I thought I played really well,” he said. “I thought I was playing a round of golf that was really hard. I trusted a lot of tough shots, I hit a lot of good ones. I hit my lines on almost every putt and it didn’t. And then finish five, five, four, five, straight, that stands.
“I want to break something, but I look back positively at the way I thought today, the way I walked, the confidence I took in. every single picture, again, that’s going to serve me well going forward. I took a step in the right direction today, whatever the outcome. “
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