McIlroy insists it was easy decision to risk £2.4m bonus

Rory McIlroy insists it was an “easy decision” to potentially forfeit £2.4 million in bonus money as he spoke for the first time about how missing the cut in the Masters “sucked”.

McIlroy did not speak to waiting reporters after a second round of 77 at Augusta National brought a premature end to his latest bid to win a green jacket and complete the career grand slam.

The world No 3 then withdrew from the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, meaning he had missed his second “designated event” of the year on the PGA Tour and was subject to losing 25 per cent of his Player Impact Program bonus.

“We certainly have our minimums, we obviously signed up for this designated-event series this year,” McIlroy said at a promotional event for FedEx ahead of the Wells Fargo Championship. “I obviously knew the consequences that could come with missing one of those. It was an easy decision, but I felt like, if that fine or whatever is to happen, [it] was worth that for me in order to get some things in place.

“I had my reasons not to play Hilton Head. I expressed those to Jay [Monahan, the PGA Tour commissioner] and whether he thinks that is enough to warrant … look, again, I understood the consequences of that decision before I made it. So whatever happens, happens.”

McIlroy revealed that he had let himself think about becoming just the sixth player to have won all four major titles after shooting five under par on the back nine of his Wednesday practice round at Augusta.

“Me thinking that way isn’t a good thing,” the four-time major winner said. “All I should be thinking about is that first shot on Thursday.”

Describing his performance, McIlroy added: “It sucked. Just incredibly disappointing.”