Top-ranked Rory McIlroy stumbles on final day at Colonial
Rory McIlroy felt good about his chances going into Sunday’s final round at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He teed off an hour before the final group. If he posted a score similar to his 7-under 63 on Friday, that might be enough to win his debut at Colonial.
Well, McIlroy did the exact opposite. He stumbled out of the gates and was out of contention before he even made the turn. McIlroy closed by shooting a 4-over 74 on Sunday, finishing T32.
McIlroy, just the second No. 1-ranked golfer to play Colonial in the last 25 years, bogeyed the par-5 first, one of the easiest holes on the course. McIlroy went birdie-eagle-biride on it the first three days.
On Sunday, though, McIlroy pushed his second shot wide right and punched out behind the green. He failed to get up-and-down, missing a 7-footer for par.
Things didn’t get much better. McIlroy had consecutive bogeys on Nos. 4-5 and then double-bogeyed No. 7 after his drive went wide left. He closed the front nine with a bogey on No. 9 for a score on the front nine of 41. On Friday, he shot 31 on the front nine holes.
“I got off to a really bad start,” McIlroy said. “And then the wind was up today. You didn’t have to be that much off for it to sort of show, and missed a couple of greens in the wrong spots and made bogeys. I just got into a rut and played a bad run of holes, and obviously that put me out of the tournament.”
McIlroy made his first birdie of the day on No. 10, sticking his approach to within five feet. He went on to have two more birdies, including on No. 18. But it was too little, too late to get anything going after his disastrous opening nine.
McIlroy started the day among 14 players within three shots of the lead.
Watson rises
A 12-year break between Colonial appearances didn’t seem to matter to two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson.
Watson fired a 5-under 65 on Sunday, climbing to a T7 finish at 13-under. Watson hadn’t played the event since 2008 when he finished 72nd. He played only one other time, missing the cut in 2006.
“It was one of those where I just wanted a good finish, not playing here for many years, knowing how difficult this golf course can be, especially with gusty winds, so I was looking for a great finish,” Watson said. “I was very happy with how I stayed in there and stayed committed to my shot, trying to get a good finish.”
Dufner’s rough day
Jason Dufner posted the worst round on Sunday, an 8-over 78. That was his worst career round in the tournament. He had a tee shot of only 91 yards on No. 3, the first of four consecutive bogeys.
Dufner had two bogeys and a double-bogey on the back nine, making just one birdie on the day at No. 2. He finished a last-place 67th at 5-over.
Course breakdown
Once again, the ‘Horrible Horseshoe’ proved to be the toughest stretch. No. 5 was the toughest hole during the tournament followed by No. 3 and No. 4. Only 29 birdies were made on the par-3 fourth throughout the week with 43 birdies on No. 5 and 50 birdies on No. 3.
The par-5 first proved to be the easiest hole for the tournament. Players made 15 eagles and 188 birdies on it throughout the week. The only other holes that produced 100-plus birdies were No. 2 (129) and No. 6 (103).
