Rory McIlroy faced a challenging start on the front nine at Bay Hill during Sunday’s final round. From the onset, McIlroy’s game seemed off as he failed to hit the greens with his approach shots on the first two holes. Despite managing to save par on both occasions, maintaining his score at 5-under par, his struggles intensified at the par-4 3rd.
Another missed green resulted in a bogey after an errant chip shot left him with a challenging par putt. Things took a turn for the worse at the straightforward par-5 4th, where his drive found an unfavorable spot beside a water hazard, leading to an awkward chip-out and an unexpected bogey.
The situation worsened at the tricky par-5 6th, where McIlroy’s second shot landed in the water, resulting in a costly double-bogey. By the sixth hole, he had plummeted down the leaderboard, sitting 4-over par for the day.
The struggles persisted at the challenging par-4 8th, where a wayward second shot left him with a difficult chip over water, leading to another bogey and dropping him to even par for the tournament.
McIlroy’s difficulties primarily stemmed from his approach shots, with significant losses in strokes and a low percentage of greens hit in regulation during the front nine. Consequently, he posted a disappointing 5-over 41, effectively removing him from contention at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Jack Milko contributes as a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through, providing comprehensive golf coverage. For more updates, follow @_PlayingThrough.
