Rory McIlroy has admitted he was “resigned” to missing the cut at The Open after playing just four holes of….

Rory McIlroy has admitted he was “resigned” to missing the cut at The Open after playing just four holes of

 

Rory McIlroy’s journey at The Open came to a disappointing halt as he failed to make the cut following two challenging rounds at Royal Troon. The four-time major winner’s struggles with the harsh weather conditions led to a final score of 11 over-par through 36 holes, ending his run before the weekend.

 

Reflecting on his performance, McIlroy confessed he felt “resigned” to his fate after just four holes into his second round. “Once I made the eight on the fourth hole, that was it,” he admitted. “After that, I’m thinking about where I’m going to go on vacation next week.” Despite his attempts to salvage his game, the Northern Irishman found himself battling against the wind and his own frustrations.

 

McIlroy, 35, had hoped to regain his form after a break from golf following a disappointing finish at the US Open in June. His return at the Scottish Open earlier this month saw him tie for fourth place, boosting his confidence as he approached the final major of the year. However, the brutal conditions at Royal Troon proved too much.

 

On the first day, McIlroy’s struggles were evident as he ended 13 shots off the lead with a score of seven over-par. Day two started equally poorly, with a triple bogey on the fourth hole. Despite a slight improvement as the day went on, he ultimately missed the cut by four strokes.

 

Discussing his performance, McIlroy elaborated, “I didn’t adapt well at all on Thursday to the left-right wind on the back nine. This afternoon, going out in that gusty wind on the front, it got the better of me and I felt pretty uncomfortable over a few shots.” He acknowledged that the rough start significantly impacted his game. “That four-hole stretch to start off was what cost me. I got off to the worst possible start being six over through six, but then played the last 12 holes pretty well, bogey-free.”

 

As the wind subsided, McIlroy found his rhythm, playing the last 12 holes under par and feeling more at ease with his shots. However, the damage was already done. “When the wind gets that strong and you haven’t played in wind like that for quite a while, sometimes it’s just hard to adapt,” he explained.

 

Reflecting on the season, McIlroy noted, “I’ll look back at the two majors where I didn’t play my best this year, both here and the Masters. The wind got the better of me on the Friday at Augusta, and the wind got the better of me the last two days here.”

 

McIlroy’s candid assessment of his performance highlights the challenges even the most seasoned golfers face under adverse conditions. As he looks ahead, the golfing world will be watching to see how he rebounds from this setback.