I wept after US Masters meltdown, says McIlroy

Monday, 19 December 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: Rory McIlroy said he wept after letting victory slip from his grasp at the US Masters in April and the world number two is hoping the only golf-related crying he does in the future will be tears of joy.

In a frank review of his season, the 22-year-old Briton acknowledged he “choked” by carding a closing 80 at Augusta after going into the last round holding a four-stroke lead.

“I felt like crying because even after my triple-bogey on the 10th hole I thought I still had chances on 13, 15 and 16,” McIlroy told reporters.

“But what happened on 13 was the one that took all that away,” he said referring to the watery grave he found at the par-five hole.

“I didn’t actually cry, not until the next morning. I didn’t even speak to mum and dad until then.

“They might have said something like, ‘It’ll be okay’, but I said ‘No, it won’t be okay’,” McIlroy added. “At the time I felt it might be the only chance I had to win a major and I’d blown it. I had so many thoughts and emotions going through my head that day.” McIlroy finished a distant 10 strokes behind the winner, South African Charl Schwartzel.

Asked if he would ever weep on the course, McIlroy replied: “Hopefully they will be tears of joy as golf is not worth crying over - it’s only a game”.

McIlroy bravely buried his Masters demons by romping to an eight-shot victory at the US Open in Maryland in June to clinch the first major title of his career.