KAWAGOE, Japan – Following 21 holes in sweltering heat, Rory McIlroy couldn’t hide his sunburn or his disappointment.
“I never tried so hard in my life to finish third,” he sighed.
McIlroy’s shot at an Olympic bronze medal evaporated on the third extra hole in a seven-person playoff that was won by C.T. Pan. The Northern Irishman had plenty of chance to secure a medal for Ireland, but instead he finished tied for fourth.
“I wasn't too far behind, and then the bogey on 15, just sort of after that, those last few holes, it was about trying to play for a medal,” said McIlroy, who closed with a 67.