Masters 2024: Tiger Woods posts worst round in major at Augusta National in round three

Every time Rory McIlroy returns to the Masters, there is an extra weight of history which has appeared to become a burden at times over the past 10 years.

McIlroy won four majors between 2011 and 2014 – twice at the US PGA Championship, plus The Open and US Open.

It leaves the Masters as the one he needs to become only the sixth man to complete a career grand slam.

This week, the 34-year-old Northern Irishman’s game this week has not been at the levels needed to finally win at Augusta.

He carded a one-under 71 on Saturday, leaving him three over and, yet again, too far back to mount a serious challenge on Sunday.

But the world number two says his mindset will be to go out and “give it a go”.

“If the conditions stay the same and you pick up four, five six shots you will get up the leaderboard. I will try to finish the week on a positive note,” said McIlroy, who has earned six top-10 finishes in his pursuit of a place in golfing history.

Defending champion Jon Rahm scraped into the weekend after only beating the cut by a shot, but was also unable to shoot the low score he needed to chase down the leaders.

An uneventful round saw the 29-year-old Spaniard bogey the seventh before a birdie on the 17th ensured he signed for a level-par 72, leaving him five over for the tournament.

He said that not challenging for the title on Sunday was a “sour feeling”.

“Worse case I’ll be a part of the ceremony,” added the LIV Golf player, who will put the Green Jacket on the eventual champion as tradition dictates.