Rory McIlroy's Struggles at the Masters: A Persistent Challenge

Rory McIlroy's hopes of securing the elusive green jacket at the Masters stumbled again as he struggled to maintain momentum in his opening round. Despite an early promising start, double bogeys on critical holes left him with an even-par 72, seven shots behind the leader.

Rory McIlroy faced yet another challenging start at the Masters, as his promising early round quickly unraveled due to critical double bogeys. Initially three shots behind leader Justin Rose, McIlroy's troubles began on the par-5 15th hole after a double bogey shifted his round's momentum.

Despite entering the week in excellent form, McIlroy's performance faltered on key holes at Augusta National. A second double bogey further damaged his scorecard, ultimately resulting in an even-par 72 that left him trailing by seven strokes, complicating his pursuit of the career Grand Slam.

Notwithstanding the support from golf legends and spectators alike, McIlroy's quest for a green jacket continues to be thwarted by the occasional missteps that have become a setback pattern in recent tournaments, as noted by Jack Nicklaus.

(With inputs from agencies.)