Takeaways for Rory McIlroy After 1st PGA Tour Event of 2015

Rory McIlroy found himself outside the cut line after two rounds in his 2015 PGA Tour debut.

The Ulsterman carded rounds of 73 and 74 and will be spending the weekend at his nearby Florida home rather than inside the ropes. His seven-over tally after two rounds was well off the pace. 

In a report from Reuters, McIlroy stated, "I guess I don’t feel like I controlled my ball flight well at all, which you need to in the wind. The last three weeks, I haven’t really practiced in many crosswinds. I felt like I struggled in crosswinds out there."

It looks like we can add “crosswinds” to “toothache” on the list of reasons McIlroy didn’t play well at PGA National Champion Course. 

All joking aside, McIlroy didn’t seem terribly concerned by the missed cut as we march toward Augusta. Read on for that and a handful of other takeaways after the jump. 

Attitude Is Everything

Luis M. Alvarez/Associated Press

Rory McIlroy said two important things after missing the cut at the Honda Classic. Here’s what he said and why it mattered.

"I’m pissed off." Good. We want the No. 1 golfer in the world to be furious when he misses a cut. We probably want him to be upset when he doesn’t win too. Anything less looks a lot like complacency. You can bet missing cuts pissed off Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods during their periods of dominance. 

"Just got to regroup and put some work in and get ready for Miami next week." While McIlroy is upset, don’t expect him to let the disappointment linger. Like a true champion in any sport, he’ll take the negative and use it as motivation to improve and be back in the saddle next week. 

The Honda Classic and Rory McIlroy Aren’t Friends Anymore

Rory McIlroy won the Honda Classic in 2012. Since then, however, the Ulsterman and the tournament have had something of an adversarial relationship. 

McIlroy famously walked off the course in 2013, the crowning achievement of a period of poor play and scrutiny following his equipment switch. And last year, Russell Henley beat him in a playoff. 

Add those experiences to the missed cut this year (the 11th of his PGA Tour career), and it doesn’t look like McIlroy will be sending PGA National a Christmas card. 

Rust Never Sleeps

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Rory McIlroy hadn’t competed in three weeks entering the Honda Classic.

As he said, per The Associated Press, via USNews.com:

"

I guess after coming off a three‑week break and then felt a little ‑‑ just a little, I wouldn't say rusty, but just not quite on top of my game [Thursday]…Then [Thursday], I mean, I felt like I was trying to get something going and couldn't. Coming off three weeks off and playing in conditions like these, it sort of shows you where your game's at.

"

A three-week layoff is an eternity in professional golf. Even if you’re the best golfer on the planet, your game is going to suffer. McIlroy would be wise to realize you can’t miss that much time and not expect your game to suffer. 

No Putts, No Cuts

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While McIlroy’s approach game wasn’t up to snuff at PGA National, his putting was his undoing.

Brian Wacker of PGATour.com wrote: 

"

He struggled with his reads and didn’t make a single putt from longer than 6 feet all day, burning one edge after another. Among those McIlroy missed were a 10-footer on 17, a 13-footer on the second and a six-footer on the sixth. He also three-putted the ninth, which included missing from inside 4 feet to finish with bogeys on three of his final four holes.

"

When a golfer isn’t making putts of longer than six feet, he isn’t making birdies. When he isn’t making birdies, he’s not making cuts. McIlroy, of course, knows this. If his difficulty on the greens was primarily the result of bad reads, don’t expect future putting struggles. He certainly won’t. 

Sometimes, It’s Not Your Day(s)

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Brian Wacker of PGATour.com wrote the following after Rory McIlroy’s opening round:

"

He struggled right from the start this week. His opening shot Thursday landed in a bush and he never found the ball. He went on to shoot 73 in the wind for his highest score since a third-round 76 at the Australian Open in November and a 74 in the opening round of The Barclays in August.

"

A little rust, a little discomfort and getting behind the eight ball from the get-go can ruin your week, even if you’re the No. 1 golfer in the world.

This just wasn't his week.  

Missing Greens at Difficult Courses Equals a Difficult Week

Luis M. Alvarez/Associated Press

Rory McIlroy made eight bogeys and two double bogeys over two rounds of competition at the Honda Classic. How did he accomplish the onerous feat? The Ulsterman hit just eight of 18 greens in regulation Thursday and 10 of 18 Friday. His 50 percent mark in greens in regulation was 97th in the field at the time of the cut. 

With this and placing 76th in strokes gained putting, it’s no great wonder he wasn’t among the 70 players (and ties) who made the cut. 

All stats via PGATour.com.