Rory McIlroy’s miserable run continues ahead of golf’s next major

Completing a miserable week that saw PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan confirm he'll be docking the Co Down man the remaining $3 million of his $12 million PIP bonus for missing a second designated event, the Holywood star made an eagle, three birdies and six bogeys in a one-over 72 that summed up his last five weeks.

After finishing well back in the pack in level par, he's now five over for his last six strokeplay rounds as he shot rounds of 72 and 77 to miss the cut at the Masters, then took three weeks off and came back to follow a 68 with scores of 73, 71 and 72 in Charlotte in an event he's won three times.

If you include the Players Championship in March, his previous strokeplay start, he's 10-over for his last eight rounds, and while it's true he played superbly at times to make the last four in the WGC-Dell Technologies Championship in San Antonio, his driving and iron play was hugely underwhelming at Quail Hollow.

Having already avoided a pre-tournament press conference following his Masters disappointment and his much-publicised decision to skip the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, McIlroy declined to speak to reporters after his round.

It was no surprise after he missed ten greens in regulation yesterday and lost 3.5 shots to the field for his iron play, finishing 60th for strokes gained approach.

He reappeared in Charlotte, explaining he needed to re-set after "a pretty taxing 12 months mentally," but whether a week at home will be enough to get his game ready for Oak Hill, where he tied for eighth behind Jason Dufner in the 2013 PGA Championship, remains to be seen.

Seamus Power moves on to this week's AT&T Byron Nelson in Texas with high hopes after closing with a level par 71 to finish tied 20th in the clubhouse on seven-under.

Power is hoping to make Europe's Ryder Cup team for Rome in September but he has a serious rival for Luke Donald's attention in Poland's Adrian Meronk, who added the DS Automobiles Italian Open title to his Irish and Australian Open wins over the last 10 months to boost his chances of making the side.

The man who holed the winning putt in January's Hero Cup impressed by closing with a two-under 69 to win by one stroke in 13-under-par from France's Romain Langasque at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.

Meanwhile, Conor Purcell closed with a one-over 73 to finish tied 25th on four-under in the UAE Challenge in Abu Dhabi, ten strokes behind Germany's Max Rottluff.

Paul Dunne's 76 left him 58th on four-over with Ruaidhri McGee 60th on eight-over after a 77.