'The game is testing me' - McIlroy on play-off agony

Rory McIlroy remained positive despite a play-off defeat in the BMW PGA Championship condemning him to his latest near miss in 2024.

The world number three was beaten on the second play-off hole by American Billy Horschel at Wentworth on Sunday.

McIlroy narrowly missed out on winning the US Open in June and let a lead slip again in the final round to finish second in last weekend's Irish Open at Royal County Down after going close to an eagle on the final hole to force a play-off.

"Last week was a tough one but I left there with my head held high with the way I played the last hole trying to make three," said the four-time major winner from Northern Ireland.

"Two weeks in a row I've played well. Just not quite well enough. The game is testing me a little more than it has done in the past, but that's fine."

McIlroy and Horschel finished on 20 under along with South Africa's Thriston Lawrence, who was eliminated at the first play-off hole.

Horschel then won the tournament for the second time in four years with an eagle at the par-five 18th.

"If someone had of said you're going to turn up at Wentworth this week and shoot 20 under par, I'd take that - all I can do is keep showing up and trying to play the golf that I've been playing and sooner or later it's going to end up in a win," added McIlroy.

"And today I played the play-off holes perfectly, really, a couple of birdies. But it just shows the standard out here. If you slip up just a little bit or don't make a birdie on a crucial hole, someone is always waiting to take advantage of that."

McIlroy's focus is firmly on the future as he takes an optimistic approach after a series of disappointments.

"It could have been a different year but the nice thing is there's next year and the year after and the year after and the year after.

"If you think of my career as a 30-year journey, it's only one year in a 30-year journey, and hopefully the other 29 are a little more productive or a little bit better."