British Open 2012: What Rory McIlroy Needs to Do to Rebound from Open Fiasco

Since laying waste to the course at Congressional Country Club on his way to posting the lowest-ever 72-hole score at the U.S. Open in 2011, there have been many more downs than ups on the PGA Tour for Rory Mcilroy, and things hit a new low on Saturday at the British Open.

After flailing his way to a five-over 75 on Friday, McIlroy desperately needed a strong round Saturday to stay in the hunt at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

What he got instead was more of the same, a three-over 73 that included four more bogeys, bringing his total over the past two days to 10 (including a double).

The frustrations of these recent struggles have obviously begun to wear on McIlroy, who has been visibly rattled at times on the course and increasingly critical of his play off of it, including after Staurday's round at The Open in an interview with Bill Pennington of The New York Times:

"

“I’m frustrated,” he said, agreeing it can have an impact on this game. “But that’s golf. And you just have to get on with it and keep trying and keep practicing and stay patient until it turns around. I’ve just lost the consistency with my swing. And from there it’s tough. Whenever you’re not confident in the shots that you’re trying to hit, then it is tough to sort of trust it all.”

"

Those comments would seem to indicate that McIlroy is in danger of allowing a lack of confidence in his game to manifest itself physically (if it hasn't already), a condition known in golf as "the yips."

Now, I'm not saying that McIlroy's swing is in any danger of degenerating into this monstrosity. (God I love that video.)

However, all it takes is for a moment's doubt or hesitation to pop into a PGA Tour golfer's head, and tee shots go from straight down the fairway to straight upside some poor kid's bucket, as one of Mcilroy's did Friday, according to the AP (via The Jamestown Sun).

Honestly, the best thing that McIlroy can likely do if he wants to regain his form is rededicate himself to golf. Sure, it's great to be 23 years old, wealthy and have a famous girlfriend. The problem is that if McIlroy keeps playing so poorly, he's not going to be able to afford to travel all over the world to snuggle with Caroline Wozniacki.

So, play in more events and spend more time on the range and with swing coach Michael Bannon, even if means a little less time with the lovely young tennis star.

Rory McIlroy is undoubtedly a talented golfer, or else the USGA wouldn't have plans in place to punish golfers for the next decade for what McIlroy did in Maryland last year.

However, that talent, like any other, needs to be honed, and if Rory McIlroy doesn't figure out what has derailed his game pretty soon, he's in danger of joining a long list of golfers who appeared set for greatness but failed to attain it.

Follow @IDPManor