World No.1 Rory McIlroy was left to rue a stretch of 25 holes starting on Saturday’s third round, during which he compiled a meagre score of one-under par, as he finished the bridesmaid at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship for the fourth time in eight attempts.
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And McIlroy said the six birdies on his last 11 holes yesterday, which helped him finish the day on six-under par 66 and the tournament at 18-under par 270, were because he started taking the advice of his caddie JP Fitzgerald after struggling to read the lines of his putts.
“Once I started getting JP to read putts, it was a lot better. I started off pretty slowly again and then we just sort of figured out we would try and read the greens together, and it helped.
“I think I went 13 or 14 holes in a row without a birdie from yesterday and today,” said McIlroy.
“It was nice to finally get it going, but I just that little stretch yesterday and then early on today sort of cost me the tournament.”
McIlroy, who missed a birdie chance on the 17th despite finding the fairway bunker, and then an eagle chance on the 18th when his bunker shot sneaked past the hole, could have joined winner Gary Stal in a play-off, but he was happy with the finish.
“I was told on the 15th tee that Martin had made triple on 13. So I knew with a good finish, you never know what could happen.
“I was pretty aware; the last sort of four or five holes, I knew I was in there with a chance,” he added.
“Going out today, my goal was to finish second. I didn’t think I was going to get close to winning the golf tournament.
“I think Martin was 10 ahead at one point. You think from there, there’s only one winner, but it just shows you, funny things can happen in this game.
“If you just sort of plug away and stay patient, your time will come I guess. But it was just a little too late for me today.”
