Rory McIlroy slammed for what he did directly after Masters Round One disaster

Rory McIlroy has been criticised for what he did after a dismal end to the first round of the Masters.

The former golf world number one has never won the Masters in his career and securing the esteemed green jacket and $20 million prize at Augusta would see him complete a Grand Slam.

McIlroy started off well in round one on Thursday and was four-under par and close to achieving a career first by finishing under par in the Masters' opening round after the first 15 holes.

At one stage McIlroy was in a tie for second place but then he finished the round poorly and two double bogeys means he is tied in 27th spot on a level-par 72,- seven shots behind leader Justin Rose.

Many golf legends had predicted McIlroy would finally win the Masters but the Northern Irishman had a disastrous end to the first round and was slammed for what he did afterwards.

The four-time major champion has struggled in opening rounds at Augusta before and following the disappointment, he elected to snub all interviews.

Rory McIlroy had a poor end to his first round at the Masters. Image: Getty

Instead of speaking to the media who had gathered, he headed straight to the practice range in a bid to shake out some of his errors.

But his decision to do so didn't go well with a good portion of fans online.

One fan on X said: "Coward move by the so called "face of the tour" nut up and take your ass whipping like a man."

Another commented: "Face of the tour really not acting like the face of the tour."

A third said: "Rory can't handle the pressure. He needs to fly under the radar or have a course that equals it out."

A fourth user didn't hold back, writing: "Per usual with the crybaby."

A final person stated: "And there you have it! The reason why people like myself root against him!"

Rory McIlroy told he didn't behave like a "great champion"

On the Golf Channel, McIlroy's compatriot Paul McGinley was criticised for how he allowed his level to drop, claiming he "got distracted" and lost concentration on the 15th hole for his third shot.

He explained: "It took him a long time to play that pitch shot. His playing partner Akshay Bhatia put his second in the water. He took ages to play his shot - he took about 10 practice swings.

"For a player who likes to play quickly, it was a drop in concentration. And that is what great champions don't do. And I am sure that the 17th was a legacy of it."

McIlroy will be back in action on Friday and it will be interesting to see if he participates in interviews this time.