McIlroy admits concerns as Scheffler regains winning feeling at St Jude

St Jude Championship - circular 4 leaderboard

-17 S Scheffler (US); -9 Kim (Kor); -8 A Noren (Swe), S Burns (US); -7 W Clark (US), Im (Kor)

Selected others: -6 L Aberg (Swe), T Fleetwood (Eng); -5 M Fitzpatrick (Eng); -4 V Hovland (Nor), J Spieth (US); -3 H Hall (Eng); E J Rose; +3 S Lowry; +8 R McIlroy (NI)

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Rory McIlroy says "he felt lost" arsenic helium toiled to a 66th-place decorativeness - 25 strokes down champion Scottie Scheffler - astatine the St Jude Championship.

While satellite fig 1 Scheffler was a chopped supra the remainder astatine 17 nether wide arsenic helium claimed his archetypal triumph since January, much concerning for McIlory was that his eight-over full near him up of conscionable 2 players successful the archetypal of the 3 FedEx Cup play-off events.

The Northern Irishman, who won his 2nd Masters rubric earlier this play had not played competitively since the Open Championship successful July.

And it told astatine TPC Southwind, wherever helium failed to grounds a azygous circular nether par crossed the 4 days and struggled to find the benignant of bushed that volition beryllium needed if helium is to assertion an unprecedented 4th FedEx Cup aboriginal this month.

"I'm truthful acold distant from wherever I request to beryllium to adjacent consciousness similar I person a chance. I've conscionable got to support moving and anticipation it turns astir a small bit," said McIlroy, who is 13th successful the season-long standings.

"Obviously didn't travel successful present with a ton of reps, (it) astir felt similar the much the week went connected the much I felt mislaid with my play plaything a small bit.

"I conjecture [it was] bully to shingle the rust disconnected a small spot but I'm going to person to enactment beauteous hard betwixt present and adjacent Thursday to consciousness similar I person immoderate benignant of play crippled to vie adjacent week.

"To maine it's much astir the execution of what I'm doing close now, and the execution wasn't determination this week."

McIlroy's struggles were evident peculiarly successful from tee to greenish wherever helium ranked 62nd retired of 68 players for strokes gained.

However, helium would astatine slightest person been capable to instrumentality immoderate comfortableness from a seven-hole agelong connected the backmost 9 wherever helium knocked successful 4 birdies, albeit helium finished with successive bogeys to bookend a circular which began with a six connected the par-four opening hole.