Rory's rust cure: I just need to play more before the Masters

By DEREK LAWRENSON FOR MAILONLINE

Published: 23:03 BST, 30 March 2013 | Updated: 23:03 BST, 30 March 2013

Rory McIlroy has spoken at length about his surprising 刺激（する）-of-the-moment 決定／判定勝ち（する） to 引き裂く up his pre-Masters schedule and 追加する another tournament this week.

If truth be told, though, his clubs had already done the talking during a third-一連の会議、交渉／完成する 71 at the 爆撃する Houston Open that saw him の近くに to his best for 12 穴を開けるs to move to the brink of a 最高の，を越す-five 位置／汚点／見つけ出す before spoiling his card with some silly mistakes late on.

'It was after my second 一連の会議、交渉／完成する that my caddie, JP [Fitzgerald], asked me why didn't I 追加する an event before Augusta, because he could see I was の近くに to playing 井戸／弁護士席,' said McIlroy. 'To be honest, I'd not even considered it because I had the week planned out. But the more I thought about it over lunch, the more I could see the 知恵 in what he was 説, so we decided to go for it.'

In the groove: Rory McIlroy was in good form during the 爆撃する Houston Open

McIlroy stood over a five-foot birdie putt at the 13th that would have moved him to five under par for the day and into the 最高の，を越す five at that 行う／開催する／段階.

He was playing beautifully and all looked 井戸／弁護士席 in his world once more. But he 行方不明になるd the putt, 行方不明になるd the one 支援する for good 手段, then 敏速に dropped 発射s at the 14th and 18th 穴を開けるs 同様に and had to settle for a 71 - to 追跡する nine 発射s off the pace.

'They're just silly mental mistakes that I feel are coming about because I'm still a bit rusty,' he said. 'I've not played a lot this year and I need to play more before I get to Augusta. So now I've got another 一連の会議、交渉／完成する here and, hopefully, four more 一連の会議、交渉／完成するs next week.'

にもかかわらず those dropped 発射s late on, McIlroy was buoyant after his 一連の会議、交渉／完成する.

'That's the best I've struck the ball for a while and everything is moving in the 権利 direction. Now I just have to eradicate the stupid errors,' he said.

Nearly there: But Rory McIlroy still need to 除去する mistakes

McIlroy's 決定／判定勝ち（する） to play in the Valero Texas Open this week means the 取り消し of a planned 人道的な trip to Haiti on に代わって of UNICEF.

'That was the hardest part because I'm a 抱擁する 支持者 of their work,' he said. 'There were a few 堅い phone calls last night, but we will do something in the 近づく 未来. I have got to do what's best for me and what's best is to make sure I'm ready for the Masters.'

Although it is （疑いを）晴らす McIlroy needs to play more 一連の会議、交渉／完成するs, whether next week's course is going to help him is another 事柄.

The layout is tight and usually 保護するd by a blustery 勝利，勝つd.

Words of advice: Phil Mickelson doesn't thing the Valero Texas open is good 準備 for Augusta

Phil Mickelson, a three-time 勝利者 of the Masters, said: 'For me, it is hardly 役立つ t o getting ready for Augusta.'

Will it be 権利 for McIlroy, a 類似の flair player? Only time will tell.

やめる why a player should be rusty come the end of March, though, is something McIlroy surely needs to 演説（する）／住所 in 未来 years with an 増加するd playing schedule. But at least his swing 問題／発行するs appear a thing of the past for now and he is learning to 信用 his new Nike 器具／備品.

Over the 前線 nine it was McIlroy in 近づく 十分な flow.

Even during his difficulties at the end there was a 繁栄する, where he made a birdie off his second ball at the 18th after his 運動 finished in the water. His 一時的に ball flew 363 yards off the tee.

物陰／風下 Westwood made three birdies on the 支援する nine to finish on 67, putting him in 論争 at nine-under - two 流浪して of Stewart Cink and 法案 Haas who are tied for the lead on 205.