McIlroy is lacking focus – McGinley

Rory McIlroy is suffering from a lack of focus, according to Paul McGinley, who feels the Northern Irishman should heed the advice of Arnold Palmer.

World number three McIlroy finished tied for 12th at the Players Championship over the weekend, eight shots behind winner and rankings leader Jason Day.

After a final-round 70 at Sawgrass, McIlroy conceded that he shanked his tee shot at the 13th into the water hazard because he was still cross with himself for missing a putt on the previous hole.

The four-time major winner said afterwards that his game “was just not clicking” and McGinley believes McIlroy needs to improve his ability to put poor shots quickly behind him.

“Arnold Palmer had a quote that I didn’t understand when I was a boy, but now I understand it,” McGinley said in quotes reported by the Irish Sun. “He used to say, ‘The greatest gift you need mentally in this game is the ability to forget’.

“Every game is a separate tournament and Jason Day was a great example of it. What is impressive about him is that he is finding a way to win with his B game and Jordan Spieth almost did the same thing at the Masters.

“I don’t think his putting is his problem. His concentration levels are down.

“You wouldn’t question his bottle, that’s for sure. He has proved that at the very highest level.

“I think he is lacking confidence because he hasn’t won for a while. And he is lacking focus.

“It is not his game. It is not his putting or chipping. And it’s not his balls because we know he can handle the big occasions.

“But he is not focusing like you need to do for 72 holes. He is coming in and out of focus and still finishing in the top 10 or thereabouts.

“I don’t think Rory can even answer why. When he got a lead in the past, he would run away from everybody. He just need to get back to where he was.”