Rory down but not out after another frustrating day

Looks like golfing immortality will have to wait at least another year for Rory McIlroy. 

The world No.4 could manage no better than a second successive 71 to lie one-under for the tournament and, in all likelihood, too far back to mount a realistic title charge on Masters Sunday. 

That means, for the fifth successive year, the Northern Irishman’s bid to become just the sixth player in history to complete the career grand slam looks destined to end in disappointment. 

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“It’s not as if I’m playing bad golf,” said McIlroy after his third round at Augusta National. “I mean, I’m under-par for the tournament. I’m just not enough under par.”

He was particularly frustrated by unforced errors, such as missing it left on the par-3 sixth and getting out of position on some of the par-5s that left him unable to go for the green in two. 

“It’s little things like that where a different day could be a different result,” he added. “It’s not as if anything is glaringly obvious in terms of what’s lacking in my game. It’s just been one of those weeks where I haven’t quite got the momentum that I needed to get.

“I’m hitting some good shots. It’s just about hitting the shots a little bit better.”

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Despite being well down the leaderboard, McIlroy is refusing to completely concede defeat in his latest Green Jacket chase.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” he added. “I saw Tony shot six-under on the front nine there. I’m going to need something like that tomorrow to maybe have a chance.”