Rory McIlroy reacts to another miserable Masters: "I don't really know what to say"

Rory McIlroy was almost lost for words after he endured another miserable Masters. 

McIlroy was making his 16th appearance at Augusta National and this week represented the 10th occasion he has tried, and failed, to complete the career grand slam. 

The Northern Irishman, 34, began his latest tilt at the green jacket by carding his first under par round at Augusta since 2018. 

But over the course of the weekend it was a similar tale of woe for the four-time major champion. 

His latest appearance was summed up in the final round when he found the par-5 13th in two glorious strikes, only to four-putt for bogey.

In the immediate aftermath of his latest disappointment, McIlroy said he felt that for the most part his game was okay. 

But it was clear he still has some work to do. 

"I don't really know what to say," he said after a final round of one over 73 gave him a score of four over par for the championship. 

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"Just sort of felt like my game was okay and managed it pretty well, but obviously Friday was a really tough day, and losing five shots sort of put me in a pretty difficult position going into the weekend."

Asked to sum up his latest disappointment, McIlroy said: "I guess it's more the same of what I've shown this year. 

"It's not as if it's been a down week in comparison to the way I've been playing. 

"It's just a matter of me trying to get my game in a bit better shape going towards the rest of the season."

McIlroy will have the opportunity to win a major very soon. 

The PGA Championship heads to Valhalla in Kentucky over May 16-19. 

By coincidence, that venue was where McIlroy won his last major in 2014. 

"I need to take a little bit of time and reflect on this week and what I did well, what I didn't do so well, and sort of try to make a plan for the next few months, especially from here going through obviously the end of July. 

"As you say, major season, they're going to come thick and fast here, so hopefully get myself in a bit better form for those last three."

McIlroy is scheduled to play next week's PGA Tour event at Hilton Head. 

Viktor Hovland has already withdrawn following his bizarre performance at Augusta. 

Asked how close McIlroy is to it all coming together, he said: "I'm close in some ways, but then I feel quite far away in others. 

"It's a bit of a -- once I get one thing, sort of put that to bed, then another thing pops up, and it's just one of those at the minute."

The LIV presence was heavy at this Masters thanks to Bryson DeChambeau playing his way into contention with 18 holes to play. 

McIlroy was once the breakaway tour's harshest critic but over the last few months has consistently called for the game to be unified again. 

Before the major began, McIlroy spoke of his disappointment the aforementioned DeChambeau was absent from the recent PGA Tour event at Bay Hill.

During his PGA Tour career one of DeChambeau's highlights came when he took an insane line on the 531-yard par-5 over water. 

He said: "The Masters stands alone in terms of every other golf tournament, but I think even in terms of the ratings the first two days on ESPN looked like they were up, which is a sign that when we're all back together, then golf thrives. 

"When we're divided, it doesn't. That's just another example of why we should all try to put our heads together and get back together."

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