Rory McIlroy plays down favourite tag

• Rory McIlroy claims he’s not the favourite for the Masters
• “If you go on form then probably no,” said the 25-year-old
• World No.1 leaves Bay Hill with some ‘positive signs’

World No.1 Rory McIlroy has denied that he is the favourite to win the Masters in less than three weeks’ time, claiming there are a lot of other players out there playing well.

The 25-year-old finished T11 in his first appearance at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, eight shots behind winner Matt Every, and after failing to get in contention in his three PGA Tour events so far in 2015, McIlroy claimed his form suggests that he isn’t a favourite to win at Augusta.

“Given how I’ve been playing, I guess if you go on form then probably no. But it depends how far you take that form back. You’ve got to look at previous results there and all sorts of stuff. I’m not a bookkeeper,” Rory McIlroy said.

“Maybe I’m not the favourite” – Rory McIlroy

“I mean, there’s a lot of guys that are playing well up there so maybe I’m not the favourite.”

Bay Hill marked the Northern Irishman’s final appearance before the Masters, with his T11 finish following a missed cut at the Honda Classic and a T9 at the WGC-Cadillac Championship.

After the WGC event at Doral, Rory McIlroy said he was ‘disappointed’ with how he played and despite finishing slightly lower down the field at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he claimed he was a lot happier with his game.

He said: “I definitely feel like I’ve taken some strides in the right direction but there’s still a few things in my game I need to tidy up and work on. What I was working on last week, I feel like I’ve made progress in that and I get a couple weeks to work on some more stuff and hopefully be ready for the start of Augusta.

“I feel ok. There was progress made this week considering what I was working on last week after Doral. I saw enough good signs, positive signs to be optimistic in the next couple of weeks.

“Obviously the main goal was to come here and try to win. I couldn’t do that but I got a couple of things out of this week which is good.”

Rory McIlroy gearing up for the Masters :: Your thoughts

Bay Hill was the last we’ll see of McIlroy in tournament action before Augusta. Do you think he’s got his schedule right? Leave your thoughts in the ‘Comments’ section below.