McIlroy not even top Rory in Texas event

Rory McIlroy

Frank Pingue

Rory McIlroy came into the PGA Tour's first tournament back from a three-month Covid-19 break as the favourite to win but after a number of miscues in the final round on Sunday the Northern Irishman was not even the highest-placed Rory in the field in Texas.

World number one McIlroy began the day three shots off the lead but struggled over the front nine en route to a four-over-par 74 at Colonial Country Club that left him at six under for the week and in a share of 32nd place.

Not only was McIlroy unable to mount a charge but he also finished the week four shots back of South African namesake Rory Sabbatini, who shot a bogey-free, five-under-par 65 to finish the Charles Schwab Challenge in a share of 14th place.

"I got off to a really bad start," said McIlroy. "Hit a loose second shot on the first hole up to the right and then sort of messed around and took bogey there, so not the ideal start."

McIlroy will now focus on next week's RBC Heritage in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

"You know, sort of played all the way to the end, shot a decent back nine. I was a couple under on the back," said McIlroy. "But front nine I just got into a rut and played a bad run of holes, and obviously that put me out of the tournament."

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