Monday 9 April 2018 15:28, UK
Rory McIlroy struggled to contain his disappointment after his Masters challenge petered out on the final day at Augusta National.
McIlroy's superb third-round 65 had secured him a place in Sunday's final pairing with overnight leader Patrick Reed, and he was confident of overturning a three-shot deficit and completing a career Grand Slam of majors.
But the 28-year-old was erratic from the start, particularly on the greens as he stumbled to a two-over 74 which dropped him into a share of fifth place on nine under - six strokes adrift of the champion.
"I played probably some of the best golf I've ever played here, it just wasn't meant to be," said McIlroy, who littered his card with five bogeys against three birdies. "Of course it's frustrating and it's hard to take any positives from it right now but at least I put myself in a position, that's all I've wanted to do.
"For the last four years I've had top 10s but I haven't been close enough to the lead. Today I got myself there, I didn't quite do enough but I'll still come back next year and try again. I'm 100 per cent sure I can come back and win here.
"I've played in two final groups in the last seven years, I've had five top 10s, I play this golf course well. I just haven't played it well enough at the right times. But I'll sit down and reflect over the next few days and see what I could have done better.
"Whether it be mindset or whatever, I just didn't quite have it today. I played some great golf, but I just didn't continue that into today," added McIlroy, who admitted his putter had "let me down" throughout the final round.
"I just wasn't quite as trusting as I was the first few days and that made a big difference," he said. "I was trying to hit good shots and good putts and anytime I felt like I hit a good shot I got myself on the wrong side of the pin or gave myself a tricky one down the hill.
"Then when I did get some chances I didn't take advantage of them, but it was a tough day and hopefully I'll be better next time."
McIlroy did well to escape the first with a par after a wild drive deep into the pines, but he missed a short putt for eagle on the second and failed to take advantage of perfect tee shots at both the third and fifth, where poor approaches and nervy putting cost him dropped shots.
"I still made birdie on two and, after were I was off the tee on one, I would have taken one under after two holes," he added. "It was more giving that birdie away on three and obviously the birdie on four was huge but then I gave that away on five.
"Every time I took a step forward I took a step back on the next hole. I had a chance to maybe put a bit more pressure on Patrick than I did and I'd say three and five are the ones that I'd look back on and if I could have made pars there it could have been a different story.
"I hit some good shots out there, and I feel like momentum is a huge thing, especially in final rounds. You look at what Jordan and Rickie did, they got on a roll and I just didn't.
"Patrick and I didn't, we were in and around even par and were just grinding out there and it wasn't quite what we both had in mind, he just hung in there a little better than I did and got the job done.
"I think when you're playing in the final group in a major there's always going to be pressure, but when I parred the first that settled me down so it wasn't as if nerves got to me. I just didn't quite have it."
