Rory McIlroy has given an honest assessment of where his game is after a tied-for seventh-place finish at the PGA Championship.
The world number three continued his major hoodoo and finished some seven shots behind champion Brooks Koepka with the victory meaning the American has five major wins, one more than McIlroy.
The Holywood man had been in poor form going into the competition having missed back-to-back cuts and never seriously contended.
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McIlroy was quick to admit that his game is not in the shape it needs to be and simultaneously feels he is both close and far away from reaching the dizzying heights that saw him win four majors in a three-year stretch.
Speaking to media after Sunday's final round, he said: "I came in here trying to play a golf tournament and not thinking about getting myself into contention and not thinking about winning.
"Honestly, I didn't feel like I had a chance of winning this week. It was just about going there and playing the best I could and trying to make the most of it.
"I feel sort of close but also so far away at the same time. It's hard to explain. I feel like sometimes it was the worst I could have played but at the same time it was the best I could have done.
"It's weird and just feels like not where it needs to be and I need to go back home and work on some stuff and just try to figure it out."
And McIlroy believes he needs his best stuff for him to win another major.
He added: "A week like this there are some good parts and some bad parts and just trying to pick all them pieces out and see what you can do better.
"I don't need my best stuff to compete, I feel I need my best stuff to win but I don't need my best stuff to compete and hang in there but I need to be better."
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