What started as a dream final pairing between the world No. 2 and reigning Masters champion Jordan Spieth and the world No. 3 and four time major champion Rory McIlroy turned into a nightmare for the 26-year-old from Northern Ireland.
Starting the day one off the lead and all alone in second place, McIlroy lost a stroke on the second when Spieth hit the par 5 green in two and birdied the hole, falling two behind.
It was the closest McIlroy would be to Spieth all day.
Finding a bunker off the tee on the 3rd hole, McIlroy limped to a bogey and, just like that, was three strokes back.
A lucky break on the 4th hole saved an even bigger slide, as his wedge off the tee careened off the patron’s gallery and landed in the first cut of rough. A spectacular chip rolled to within three feet of the pin, where McIlroy saved par.
But a three putt seventh green dropped McIlroy to just one over par for the tournament. But Spieth also bogeyed the hole to keep McIlroy within three shots.
But McIlroy’s troubles really began on the back nine.
McIlroy found the bushes off the tenth tee, forcing him to chip out from the straw, bogeying the hole. He again found the trees off the 11th tee, and a bad situation got worse when a poor punch-out off the pine needles found the water, which led to a double bogey six. Spieth also double bogeyed the 11th hole, so McIlroy remained five shots back. Spieth, however, went on to birdie 12, 14 and 15 to push McIlroy back eight shots. Aggressive play by 58-year-old Bernard Langer, Masters newcomer Smylie Kaufman and several others kept McIlroy sliding down the standings, most likely dashing his hopes for the elusive green jacket.
McIlroy played the final seven holes at even par, but did not have a single birdie for the round. It was the first round in the majors for McIlroy that he failed to birdie a single hole. For his career, McIlroy has played holes 10, 11 and 12 at Augusta at a dismal 24 over par. The rest of the course he has dominated, shooting a combined -28.