Monday 7 March 2016 10:18, UK
Rory McIlroy admitted he was frustrated to let another opportunity for victory slip through his fingers after a disappointing final round at the WGC-Cadillac Championship.
The world No 2 held a three-shot lead over Dustin Johnson and Adam Scott heading in to the final round at Doral, but finished in a tie for third as Scott claimed a second successive PGA Tour title.
A two-over 74 on Sunday cost McIlroy, who also let a final-round lead slip at the Northern Trust Open a fortnight ago, as three bogeys mixed with a single birdie saw him finish two strokes off the pace.
Although McIlroy produced a much-improved putting display in Florida while trailing the "crosshanded" technique, the Northern Irishman feels he still did not do enough to claim a first win of 2016.
"I didn't make enough birdies," McIlroy said. "I felt like my game was okay for the most part, but I didn't take advantage of the holes I should have.
"It's frustrating because it's two out of the last three weeks. I was leading the golf tournament with 16 holes to play in Riviera.
"I was leading the golf tournament here going into the back nine, and to not get the job done in either two of those instances is very frustrating."
After completing the opening six holes in regulation, McIlroy posted a first bogey of the day at the seventh and could only par the next after finding the water with his approach.
McIlroy sent his tee shot at nine into the sand to drop another shot and reach the turn in a share of the lead, before slipping three adrift of Scott with a missed par-save from 11 feet at the 13th.
Although McIlroy closed the gap by holing a seven-footer at the 16th for his only birdie of the day, he failed to make further inroads over the closing two holes.
"I couldn't birdie any of the par fives and that's really what killed me today," McIlroy said. "I'll take a lot of positives from this week.
"A lot of things didn't go right for me, but I need to just pick myself back up and get into contention again in Orlando in a couple weeks and let's see if I can get the win there.
"I've got two events left to try to get that win before going to Augusta and I'm hopefully going to get it."
