Frustrated Rory McIroy says ‘decision-making was terrible’

Rory McIlroy produced his best finish in the three tournaments since the PGA TOUR’s restart, but a nine-way tie for 11h on Sunday was hardly the confidence-booster the reigning FedExCup champ and world No. 1 was looking for at the Travelers Championship.

In fact, he left TPC River Highlands frustrated and needing a break.

As a result, he will definitely take next week off in Detroit at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, and may not return to action until the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide, the second of two consecutive TOUR events at Muirfield Village.

“The way I'm feeling right now," said McIlroy, who finished six strokes behind winner Dustin Johnson, “I feel like a couple weeks off … just reset and start again.”

McIlroy, you may recall, produced top-five performances in each of his first six TOUR starts prior to the suspension of play in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That included a win at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions.

But since the restart, he finished T-32 at the Charles Schwab Challenge in his first appearance at Colonial, then T-41 at the RBC Heritage in just his second career start at Harbour Town (and his first in 11 years).

McIlroy was playing the Travelers for the third time in the last four years, having finished inside the top 20 in his previous two times. He has another top-20 this week, but the lasting feeling for McIlroy is frustration.

“Decision-making was terrible the last few days,” McIlroy said. “Just some stupid shots and trying to take too much on at times. I think probably playing a little bit and just being a little more thoughtful on the course. Yeah, it's just sort of dumb mistakes in there that I don't usually make.”

McIlroy’s final-round 67 on Sunday was a rollercoaster ride that consisted of three birdies on the front nine sandwiched around two bogeys, while his back nine included an eagle at the par-5 13th and a double-bogey at the par-4 17th.

It was the kind of up-and-down inconsistency he had avoided prior to the break.

“There's been some really good stuff in there, but then just some really stupid mistakes,” McIlroy said. “Even today, like I got off to a good start and then bogeyed some easy holes. It's a little too up and down, a little bit roller coaster-ish, where it didn't really feel like that before we stopped. It was sort of quite consistent and sort of building sort of rounds very nicely, a lot of pars, a few birdies, not many mistakes.

“Just over the last few weeks I've made too many mistakes, too many bogeys, too many loose shots, and that was sort of what it was this week as well.”

McIlroy was in good shape going into the weekend, tied for fourth after rounds of 63 and 63. But he dropped out of contention after a rollercoaster – that word again – 69 on Saturday that included bogeys on two of his last four holes.

He said he’s physically fine but mentally he’s trying to get back into form.

“Just getting back into that tournament routine, tournament mode, and that's why I sort of wanted a couple weeks off more than anything else. It's just the mental aspect of it, and especially when you are frustrated,” he said. “I've been frustrated on the course the last three weeks, not being sort of in contention, and sort of sucks going off in the middle of the pack on a Sunday, knowing that you don't really have a chance.”