“I was just trying to stay ahead of the field, which in hindsight probably wasn't a good thing."

Robert Jones on Rory McIlroy's refreshingly candid comments about the Masters during his Wells Fargo Championship press conference.

“First thing I don't think I was ready — that was the most important thing,” the young Ulsterman said at Quail Hollow, the course where he shot a magical 62 to win his first PGA Tour title a year ago.

“I displayed a few weaknesses in my game that I need to work on.

“But I think you've got to take the positives — for 63 holes I led and it was just a very bad back nine that sort of took the tournament away from me, I suppose.

“But what can you do? There are three more majors this year and hopefully dozens more that I'll play in my career.

“I was just trying to stay ahead of the field, which in hindsight probably wasn't a good thing.