5. 14.2012

an unwanted
three-peat

as three-peats go it wasn’t the most desirable. but rory mcilroy, fresh from his third successive missed cut at the players championship, put a publicly brave face on his continuing record of futility at tpc sawgrass. “i came back here, i feel, a much better player,” said the u.s. open champion, who failed to make the weekend at sawgrass in 2009 and 2010, then controversially skipped the event last year. “i’m more consistent and i’m more experienced. i felt i could come here, think my way around and play steady golf. i tried to do that, but it didn’t happen.” which is not to say the irishman is one for giving up when times are tough. he isn’t. and he’ll willingly return to sawgrass to try again. “hopefully, i’ll be coming back here for another 20 years,” he promised after signing for a second-round 76 that saw him miss the cut by four strokes. “and if i haven’t figured it out on my 20th go, there’s something wrong. it’s one of those things. i’m not getting down on myself about it.”—John Huggan (@johnhuggan)