Two weeks after winning the Players Championship in a playoff, Rory McIlroy was looking at a serious, if understandable letdown. The Ulsterman teed off late on Friday in the Texas Children’s Hospital Houston Open, in the opposite draw of World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who tied his Memorial Park course record with a second-round 62 to take the lead.

Rory McIlroy was in the running to win the Houston Open before finishing in a tie for fifth, but there were plenty of positives to take into the upcoming Masters at Augusta

Rory McIlroy was at risk of missing the cut at the Texas Children's Houston Open in his final event before The Masters, but the world No. 2 birdied three of his final four holes to make the weekend

Follow live coverage of the 89th Masters from the start of tournament preparation through Sunday's final round

Augusta National continues to torment Rory McIlroy, who ruined his first round at the Masters with a late meltdown.

The Masters begins Thursday at Augusta National, where defending champion Scottie Scheffler will try to win his third green jacket, Rory McIlroy will try again to win his first and the biggest names in golf will come together amid the Georgia pines for the year's first major championship.