Rory McIlroy birdied two of his last four holes but still finished 71st for putting in the Frys.com Open in California.

Is Rory McIlroy getting nervous about retaining his Race to Dubai Crown?

The Co Down man's frustration with his putting is growing by the day but if the former world No 1 hasn't lost his sense of gallows humour, he's already referencing the importance of getting it right for the three Final Series events he faces over the next few weeks.

The TV coverage delighted in showing us Rory McIlroy's 350 yard drive but the world No 3 set alarm bells ringing about his putting problem when he insisted that it was a mental rather than a technical problem as a wasteful 71 left him six shots behind leader Brendan Steele at Silverado Country Club in California.

The familiar tale of Rory McIlroy's streaky putting was near the top of the agenda as the former world No 1 found himself five shots off the pace after the first round of the 2015-16 season opener in California.