Rory McIlroy has suffered his worst finish for 17 years in a frustrating week at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, slumping to joint 33rd place on two under par after a final round of 73.
The Northern Irishman last failed to secure a top-10 finish when he missed the cut back in 2008.
He told reporters: "Still trying to obviously build up to the Masters," McIlroy added. "Last year was really good for me with the win at Pebble and the win at The Players.
"If I can keep progressing a little bit and get to a level that I want to be, then hopefully I can contend in one of the tournaments in California, at least, and then do the same thing in Florida heading into Augusta."
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
Patrick Reed claimed victory, finishing a commanding 12 shots clear of McIlroy.
The American golfer maintained control from the midway point, holding the lead after both 36 and 54 holes before completing his triumph on Sunday.
Reed finished the competition at 14 under par, with Andy Sullivan claiming second place four strokes behind.
The win marks a significant achievement for Reed, who joins an exclusive group as only the sixth American player to lift the prestigious Dallah trophy in the tournament's history.
Rory McIlroy has suffered his worst finish for 17 years in a frustrating week at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic
|GETTY
The final round saw Reed adopt a cautious approach on the outward nine, recording eight pars alongside a single dropped shot.
Spanish challenger David Puig mounted pressure during this stretch, cutting the gap in half with birdies on the eighth and ninth holes.
Reed broke through with his opening birdie of the day at the 10th, though Puig matched him immediately with his third consecutive gain to keep the contest alive.
The decisive moment arrived at the 13th hole, where Reed found the cup for birdie whilst Puig stumbled to bogey, restoring the American's four-stroke cushion.
LATEST SPORT NEWS
Patrick Reed claimed victory, finishing a commanding 12 shots clear of Rory McIlroy
|GETTY
Reed then navigated the closing holes with pars to seal victory.
He said: "It hasn’t fully set it in yet. Today was a lot harder than expected, I knew it was going to be."
"I just couldn’t get anything going on the front nine. I think I learned a lot about the round today.
"Instead of keeping my foot on the gas early, I tried to protect that four-shot lead and then David goes and birdied eight and nine, and shut it down to two.
Rory McIlroy last failed to secure a top-10 finish when he missed the cut back in 2008
|GETTY
He added: "Kess (Kessler Karain, caddie) was like ‘it’s a dogfight, now let’s get going and shoot under par on the back nine and no-one will beat you’."
"We were able to get that birdie there on 13 to get to one under and he (Puig) gave me a gift there by bogeying, from there on it was hit fairways, hit greens and make no mistakes.”
Sullivan fought back from four bogeys on his front nine for a one-under 71 to sit in solo second at 10 under, with Frenchman Julien Guerrier finishing one shot further back in third.
Puig was handed a two-shot penalty for grounding his club in the bunker at the last for a share of seventh at seven under.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter