Rory McIlroy’s drought in majors set to stretch to a 10th year as putter stays cold at British Open
Rory McIlroy’s drought in majors set to stretch to a 10th year as putter stays cold at British Open
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy reacts on the 18th green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy looks down after missing a birdie putt on the 2nd green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy looks at his putt on the 2nd green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy tees off the 2nd hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy reacts on the 18th green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy runs along the 15th fairway during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy plays his tee shot on the 14th hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy tees off 7th hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy plays his tee shot on the 4th hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy reacts on the 18th green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy reacts on the 18th green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy looks down after missing a birdie putt on the 2nd green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy looks down after missing a birdie putt on the 2nd green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy looks at his putt on the 2nd green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy looks at his putt on the 2nd green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy tees off the 2nd hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy tees off the 2nd hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy reacts on the 18th green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy reacts on the 18th green during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy runs along the 15th fairway during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy runs along the 15th fairway during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy plays his tee shot on the 14th hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy plays his tee shot on the 14th hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy tees off 7th hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy tees off 7th hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy plays his tee shot on the 4th hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy plays his tee shot on the 4th hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championships at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
HOYLAKE, England (AP) — Rory McIlroy headed straight to the practice putting green after his third round at the British Open, determined to work on the part of his game that’s most to blame for a drought in the majors likely stretching into its 10th year.
Minutes earlier, McIlroy had seen a birdie putt from 11 feet slide by the cup to a backdrop of groans around the 18th green at Royal Liverpool. He walked after the ball almost immediately after he’d hit it, and gave out a sigh of exasperation after removing his cap and shaking hands with his caddie.
The sky was as bleak as McIlroy’s mood late Saturday afternoon as he counted the cost — once again — of a slew of missed putts. The statistics were damning: He gave himself nine looks at birdie from 13 feet or closer and made only three of them in his 2-under 69.
McIlroy started the round nine shots off Brian Harman’s lead and ended it that way, too.
He was in a tie for 11th place on Friday night and was in the same position on Saturday night.
What’s also surely not about to change is his haul of major titles, which, remarkably, has been stuck on four since 2014.
McIlroy declined to give any media interviews after his round. Instead he chose to practice his putting in front of the clubhouse while, out on the course, Harman continued his clinic in short putting — he hasn’t missed one inside 10 feet all week — that’s put him in position to win a first major championship.
Just last month, McIlroy couldn’t convert enough putts to get past Wyndham Clark in the back nine of the final round of the U.S. Open.
Twelve months ago, his putter was even colder in the final round at the British Open, which he went into sharing the lead before finding himself with a two-shot lead after 10 holes. He two-putted every hole that Sunday as he was overtaken by Cameron Smith.
On Saturday, McIlroy raised expectations by starting with three birdies in five holes, missing birdie chances on the other two holes from 10 and 12 feet.
He didn’t make birdie for the next 13 as he got stuck in neutral, like so many of the would-be challengers to Harman on a course softened by overnight rain.
McIlroy missed a 13-footer on No. 8, one from eight feet on No. 15, and then back-to-back 11-footers at Nos. 17 and 18. Each missed putt was more painful than the last, for McIlroy and his many supporters outside the ropes.
“I had a guy yell at me, ‘Hurry up, no one is watching you anyways today,’” Max Homa, McIlroy’s playing partner on Saturday, said of the pro-McIlroy crowd at Hoylake.
“It was the second hole I had a putt and I just kind of told myself that’s what you’re going to deal with all day.”
McIlroy arrived at Hoylake — the scene of his British Open win in 2014 — with so much hope after winning the Scottish Open last week and his game in good shape.
“I’m as close as I’ve ever been, really,” the No. 2-ranked McIlroy said of his chances of winning major No. 5.
Now, save for a miracle on Sunday, there’s a long wait until his next shot at one. Nine months, to be precise, until he returns to Augusta National for another bid to complete the career grand slam.
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