Rory counts cost of early mistakes

Rory McIlroy’s moderate 2013 campaign continued in familiar mode at Sawgrass yesterday when a series of errors over the outward nine of his final round cost him whatever remote hope he might have entertained of catching the leaders in the Players Championship.

To the great credit of a player who has been criticised for flying the white flag when his chance of victory has disappeared, he didrecover superbly on the homeward journey, but it was too late for the 24 year-old to threaten Tiger Woods who, at 13 under, had moved two clear of the Scot Martin Laird, veteran Jeff Maggert, third round leader David Lingmerth from Sweden and Sergio Garcia.

An opening 66 left the world No 2 in the perfect position to challenge for the ‘fifth Major’ and although he lost ground with subsequent scores of 73 and 72, a big final day of which he is eminently capable might have put him back in the hunt.