RORY McILROY’S third-round progress — or rather the lack of it  — was being monitored at Augusta by legendary  former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

And as he watched McIlroy’s vain attempt to play his way back into the 88th Masters, Fergie must have thought it is every bit as frustrating as following the Red Devils these days.

There is just no spark in McIlroy’s game at the moment, no sign of the sustained brilliance that brought him four Major victories before he reached the age of 25.

And there was nothing to suggest that his ten-year quest to complete the career Grand Slam was going to end this week, or any time soon.

It is not just The Masters where lifelong United fan McIlroy repeatedly comes up short. It is all the Majors.

Since he won The Open and the USPGA in the space of three weeks in 2014, there has been nothing to celebrate at the highest level.

And with his 35th birthday looming next month, the clock is ticking.

McIlroy, who started out ten shots off joint leaders Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa and Bryson DeChambeau, was making all the right noises before he teed off.

He pointed out that he had come from ten back at halfway to claim the first of his 24 PGA Tour titles at Quail Hollow way back in 2010 — and did the same thing to overhaul Cameron Young at the Dubai Desert Classic just three months ago.

He said: “I know it’s do-able because  I’ve done it before. So that’s what I need to inspire me.

“I still think I can go out and shoot a low one, get back into red numbers and have half a chance going into Sunday.

“But obviously the Dubai Desert Classic and The Masters are two very different tournaments.”

That last remark kind of gave the game away. Deep down, McIlroy was not convinced he could still win and he was not  convincing anyone else.

But where there is hope there is a way . . . maybe.

McIlroy needed to get off to a fast start  to have any chance of making significant inroads into the chasm between him and the leading contenders.

So a bogey at the first hole was the last thing he needed!

But that is just what he got, after he found the bunker down the right with his drive and then failed to convert a six-footer for par.

McIlroy responded well, crushing a drive 380-yards down the fairway at the par five second and then getting up and down for birdie.

He also made a four at the other par five on the front nine, the 570-yard eighth, despite finding sand off the tee again.

But birdies at the holes that had played as the two easiest over the first 36 holes were bare, necessities rather than bonuses.

And there was another bogey sandwiched by those gains, with a clumsy tee shot at the short sixth followed by a three-putt.

The feeling that the world No 2 was stuck in neutral was confirmed as he rattled off five pars, before breaking the run with a birdie at the 14th.

McIlroy set up another birdie chance at the long 15th and his fans must have wondered if they were about to witness a grandstand finish.

No chance. That short putt slid past the hole and McIlroy had to scramble to save par at the 16th, after finding yet another bunker.

His worn-out sand iron may need to be replaced for the final round.

There was still time for him to find one more fairway bunker on 18, as the slow death for yet another Grand Slam bid ended with a couple more pars, for a one-under 71.

Oh well, there is always next year.

McIroy was not the only fan favourite kissing goodbye to his faint hopes of pulling on a Green Jacket today.

A glance at the scoreboard would have shown him Tiger Woods, 48, had five shots in the space of three holes to crash from one over par to six over.

The damage was done with a bogey at the short sixth and then back-to-back doubles at seven and eight.

It was further evidence that coming from a long way back is almost  impossible at Augusta — even for the greats of the game.