Golf:After a monumental meltdown that saw the US Masters slip through his fingers, even Rory McIlroy must have thought things could not get any worse. However, after a 25-hour journey from Georgia to Malaysia with Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and the Green Jacket he so nearly won, the Northern Irishman arrived today to find his clubs absent without leave.

“It hasn’t happened often, its one of these things you can’t help it, going through so many time zones and so many connecting flights your bags are going to get lost sometimes,” McIlroy said ahead of the Malaysia Open.

“Hopefully they turn up tonight and I'll be ready to go tomorrow.”

McIlroy, who lost a four-shot lead in the final round at Augusta, said he was keen just to get back in action at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club for the co-sanctioned European and Asian Tour event which starts on Thursday.

“I feel like I'm playing really well at the minute,” said McIlroy. “It showed for the first three days of Augusta anyway that the game is there. Hopefully, instead of doing it for three days like last week I can do it for four days this week. I don’t think I need to change anything, just be a little calmer and a little patient on Sunday and hopefully that will be enough.”

The laid-back world number nine, sporting natty, black-rimmed, square glasses and training shoes, had plenty of time on the flight to think about what he might have done differently in his final-round of 80 at Augusta on Sunday.

“The only shot that I'd take back is that tee shot on 10. If I could start the round again on the 10th tee in that position I was in...” McIlroy pondered of the drive that hit a tree and ended up in front of some houses way left of the fairway.

“That tee shot on 10 was the first bad drive I hit all week ... and then from there, making seven on 10, I just sort of lost my way a little in the middle of the round.

“These things can happen very easily, I’ll know in the future how to deal with it if it ever happens again,” he added.

First-time Major winner Schwartzel profited most from McIlroy's Masters meltdown but the pair enjoyed an amicable long-haul flight together.

“It was fine,” he smiled when asked if being in the presence of the Green Jacket was a cruel ending to his Masters misery.

“I've known Charl a long time and I'm happy for him, genuinely, he played great on Sunday. To go out and shoot 66 on the final day of the Masters to win was a great performance.”

Was he not slightly tempted to slip on the Green Jacket as the South African slept on the plane?

“No way, I wouldn’t want to do that. The only way that Green Jacket is going over my shoulders is if I win it for myself.”

And for that to happen, the 21-yer-old admits he must become “the boy in the bubble” if he finds himself in contention for Major titles in the future.

“It is very hard to keep yourself in the present and not think about winning or putting on that Green Jacket or walking up the last with a two- or three-shot lead,” McIlroy said.

“You need to keep that out of your mind. I did that for the most part. If I was giving advice I’d say don’t read newspapers, don’t look at the TV or anything like that.

“It’s easy to say he’s got a four-shot lead and if he keeps doing what he is doing he’ll win, but it is a lot easier said than done.

“My advice would be almost put yourself in a bubble and don’t let outside factors influence anything, whether that be newspaper articles, TV or anything.”