Frustration for Rory

Rory McIlroy was bitterly frustrated with his putting as he went right off his greens in the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral.

After finding water twice in a disappointing 75 on Saturday, the world No 6 followed up with a 74 last night to finish back in the pack on five over par.

The longest putt the Holywood star holed all day was a 10-footer at the 18th but, ironically, it was for bogey five after he had tugged his approach into the lake at the Blue Monster.

And the world No 6 is looking forward to a three-week break now before he reappears in the Shell Houston Open the week before the Masters.

“It’s more frustrating than anything else. I hit 14 greens in regulation and couldn’t hole anything,” McIlroy said after taking 32 putts. “Any time I missed a green I didn’t get it up and down. I felt like I should have been doing better but I just couldn’t get anything going.

“It’s that kind of golf course. You have to be so precise and that’s the most frustrating thing.

“If you miss a fairway it is almost impossible to get the ball close but I have three weeks off now before the Houston Open and the Masters.”

Seven behind leader Patrick Reed going out, he needed a round in the mid-60s to have any chance of a first PGA Tour victory for nearly 18 months.

But after holing a five footer for a birdie four at the first, it was soon clear it was not going to be his day.

He shaved the hole with birdie putts inside 15 feet at the third, fifth and sixth and then missed an eight footer for birdie at the par-five eighth before dropping a shot at the ninth to go out in level.

After missing a six footer for birdie at the 10th, he parred the next three and bogeyed the 14th when he found sand and missed another 12 footer for par.

At the driveable, 294-yard 16th, he hit a three-wood to the back fringe but three-putted from nearly 70 feet for par, coming up 12 feet short with his eagle attempt.

As for Paul McGinley’s decision to appoint Des Smyth and Sam Torrance at Ryder Cup vice captains, McIlroy was fully supportive.

“They are guys Paul trusts, guys Paul really counts on and relies on. It is important,” McIlroy said.

“Most of the guys will know Sam, not a lot of the guys will know Des. I don’t think that will be of any sort of significance. For me it’s great. I know both of them and get on really well with both of them.

“Des is someone that you could confide in and someone you could have a nice chat with. He would never offer his advice unless you asked him. The first time I met Des was playing Baltray with JP a few years ago.”

Graeme McDowell believes McGinley has done the Ryder Cup a favour by removing potential future captains from the assistant’s role.

“With the vice-captaincy, guys can be trying to make a name for themselves and it’s important that it’s about the captain and about the team,” McDowell said. “I think Paul will be re-enforcing that. It’s not about individuals.

“Paul is going to be a fantastic captain. I said it from day one. Great lad. Scholar of that methodology of management, captaincy, leadership. He will do all the right things, he will press all the right buttons.”

Believing the job should go someone who can lead rather than just a player who has had a great career, McDowell added: “Leadership qualities are the most important thing. Look at Alex Ferguson, someone like that. Leadership, man management.

“Golfing credentials? Yes, you deserve to be a Ryder Cup captain. Does that mean you are going to be a great Ryder Cup captain? Not necessarily.”

Late starter McDowell shot a final round 73 for a final round of one over par, and two over for the tournament. That was good enough for seven shots behind the course leader Patrick Reed.