Rory McIlroy looking forward to a couple of weeks off to ease his frustrations

Rory McIlroy could not hide his frustration as he reflected on the “dumb mistakes” that stifled his challenge at the Travelers Championship.

McIlroy was already agitated following his poor finish to his third round, when he bogeyed two of the last four holes to slip eight shots behind 54-hole leader Brendon Todd, and his final-day 67 was again blighted by a number of errors.

McIlroy closed with a 67 to finish on 13 under

The world No 1 raised hopes of a momentous come-from-behind win as he birdied the opening hole, only to fritter away shots at the second and fourth before lifting his spirits with back-to-back birdies at six and seven.

McIlroy looked certain to earn another top-10 finish after he birdied the 10th, rattled home a 35-foot putt for eagle at the 13th and holed out from a greenside bunker for an unlikely birdie at the 16th.

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But a mis-hit from a fairway trap at the next proved costly as he found the water, a mistake which led to a double-bogey six, and he looked dejected after making his par at the last for a four-round score of 13 under par.

“It’s been frustrating in a way,” said McIlroy. “There’s been some really good stuff in there, but then just some really stupid mistakes. Even today, like I got off to a good start and then bogeyed some easy holes.

McIlroy rued a number of ‘stupid mistakes’ over the week

“It’s a little too up and down, a little bit roller coaster-ish, where it didn’t really feel like that before we stopped. It was sort of quite consistent and sort of building sort of rounds very nicely, a lot of pars, a few birdies, not many mistakes.

“Just over the last few weeks I’ve made too many mistakes, too many bogeys, too many loose shots, and that was sort of what it was this week, as well.

“My decision making was terrible the last few days. Just some stupid shots and trying to take too much on at times. I think probably playing a little bit and just being a little more thoughtful on the course. Yeah, it’s just dumb mistakes in there that I don’t usually make.”

McIlroy may now play a week before The Memorial

McIlroy feels he needs a couple of weeks off before returning at The Memorial next month, although he did hint that he might tee up at Muirfield Village a week earlier than expected at the Workday Charity Open.

“The way I’m feeling right now, I feel like a couple of weeks off,” he added. “Mentally it’s just getting back into that tournament routine, tournament mode, and that’s why I wanted a couple of weeks off more than anything else.

“It’s just the mental aspect of it, and especially when you are frustrated. I’ve been frustrated on the course the last three weeks, not being sort of in contention, and it sucks going off in the middle of the pack on a Sunday, knowing that you don’t really have a chance.

“Yeah, a couple of weeks at home maybe, just reset and start again.”