Englishman Danny Willett will be a big winner in the final world rankings of the year, to be issued next week, by narrowly punching his ticket to the 2015 Masters.
He is only the second Englishman following three-times champion Nick Faldo to win the coveted Green Jacket
The 35-year-old McIlroy arrived at the year's first major, where in 2011 he blew a four-shot lead on the back nine, seeking his first major since August 2014 to end a barren run that came with its fair share of near misses.