Former Ryder Cup star Andrew Coltart doesn't think Rory McIlroy's game isn't at the necessary level to be able to challenge for victory at the Players Championship this week.
McIlroy enjoyed a strong start to the year on the DP World Tour with a tied-second finish at the Dubai Invitational followed up by a win at the Dubai Desert Classic.
But he's struggled to replicate that kind of form back on the PGA Tour and has failed to crack the top-20 at any of the four events he's competed in so far.
There have been gradual improvements since the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, but he finished last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational with a disappointing four-over par round of 76.
Rory McIlroy had a disappointing end to the Arnold Palmer Invitational
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That was 10 shots worse off than Scheffler, who stormed to victory at Bay Hill and looks to be the man to beat once again this week at TPC Sawgrass.
Coltart, who won twice on the European Tour and played in the 1999 Ryder Cup, was bitterly disappointed with McIlroy's display last week.
And the 53-year-old doesn't feel confident about backing McIlroy to get back on track this week at the Players.
"Really disappointing last week," Coltart began on the Sky Sports Golf podcast.
"I did a little bit of working out. Obviously, Rory wasn't playing very well and Scottie Scheffler was.
"From 150 yards in, Scheffler only missed eight greens in the week and Rory missed twice as many.
"From inside 100 yards - approach shots - Scheffler had nine shots. He hit the green 100 times and only didn't get up and down twice.
"Rory had seven shots inside. He missed the green four times and only got up and down three times. In fact Rory failed to get up and down five times from seven approach shots inside 100 yards.
Rory McIlroy struggled with his approach shots
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"You can't do that if you're gonna be anywhere near the top of the game.
"I don't know what he's doing. I don't know whether it's because, as he's as good as he can be and he's constantly seeing flags to go at.
"But he's not leaving himself a putt for a birdie.
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"He's just putting himself behind the eight ball on that. 150 - that's just a wedge for him.
"It's an awful lot for a guy of that quality. As a result, I don't see him doing anything this week.
"There was nothing there from last week that says to me that Rory's gonna do something this week."
