|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP BY COCA-COLASeptember 12, 2014Rory McIlroyATLANTA, GEORGIA Q. You have yet to make a birdie on any of the par‑5s. RORY McILROY: Yeah, I know. It's the way golf is sometimes. I put myself in decent positions to birdie the par‑5s today and didn't, but made up for that with how I played the other holes. Obviously really pleased with where I'm at going into the weekend. Q. As a professional golfer on TOUR I make the astute observation that not birdieing the 15th hole really didn't hurt you momentum‑wise, that you one‑putted each of the last three holes? RORY McILROY: Yeah, I holed a couple of really big par putts on 16 the last couple days and then followed both of those up with birdies on 17, so that really helped. And then the birdie on 18 was a bonus today. I wasn't expecting it to go in, I was just trying to get it somewhere up around the hole. It was a pretty tricky putt. But to see it fall in and get to 6‑under par and tied for the leave is great. Q. Sometimes the bounces go your way, sometimes you hit it into a guy's pocket off the 14th fairway, huh? RORY McILROY: Yeah, not the first time this year, either. I had a ball go up someone's pant leg at the Scottish Open this year. Second time, I just need to stop hitting it off line and these things won't happen. I got a lucky break there. That ball could have went anywhere off that tree, and I was able to hit it on the green and make par there and keep the momentum going.       Q.Talk about the last two birdies. RORY MCILROY: Yeah, it was a really good way to finish. I think it really started out I made a good par putt on 16. That kept the momentum of the round going. Did exact same thing yesterday, was able to birdie 17. And 18 was a bit of a bonus. I had a decent shot in there, but it was a pretty tricky putt up that hill with a lot of right to left breaks. I was trying to get it somewhere close to the hole and make a solid 3, and once I hit it, I knew I had a chance dropped in. Great way to finish and obviously in a great position going into the weekend. Q. Have you had a chance to really digest this whole buzz from two days ago, the Phil and the Tiger and kind of what's your thoughts now, things have settled in? RORY MCILROY: I'm just concentrating on the golf at the minute and I'm trying to win the TOUR Championship. Trying to win the FedExCup, and that's all I'm concentrating on. Q. (Off microphone)? RORY MCILROY: No, but I've hit it up some‑‑ I hit it off someone's leg at the Scottish Open this year in Aberdeen, the sand there. I need to stop top hitting it off line. Things happen there. Q. Did you have to go in the pocket? Did it hit the tree and fall? RORY MCILROY: It hit up on the tree and ricocheted straight into his pocket. Q. (Off microphone.) RORY MCILROY: I wasn't going in there. I know how sweaty my pockets are. I'm not going into anyone else's. Q. With the way things are taken out of context, will it make you less forthcoming in the future, more cautious around the media? RORY MCILROY: No, not at all. Like I answered a question honestly and openly and, hey, it's just one person's view. Q. You said yesterday you thought you found something over the last few holes. Did it transfer today? RORY MCILROY: Yeah, from the first hole today, great warm‑up on the range, and from the first tee shot I felt a lot more comfortable out there. I was comfortable with my swing, comfortable with the shape I was hitting the ball. I still hit a few missed shots out there, but nowhere as many as I did yesterday. Q. When that happens, is it almost like a moment of relief that eases the pressure a bit that allows you to go regroup for that big finish? RORY MCILROY: I was just‑‑ I was happy. That ball could have hit the tree and went anywhere and I was just‑‑ I just felt fortunate I was able to drop it there and make a par. It wasn't anything to do with easing the pressure, it was only the second day of the tournament. Doesn't come into it at this stage. Q. A month ago you said you were driving the ball the best in your life. Do you still feel that way or‑‑ RORY MCILROY: Not quite as good as I was about a month ago. Whether that's just to do with how much golf I've played and maybe a few sort of tired swings in there. But I'm still driving the ball well. I wouldn't say I'm driving it as good as I was driving it in Akron and the PGA. But I'm still driving it good enough to give myself a chance to win this tournament. Q. With the year you had, how special would it be to win this event cap it all off? RORY MCILROY: It would be the icing on the cake, really. Before coming into these FedExCup Playoffs, having won four times in a season, two majors, a World Golf Championship, the biggest, the flagship event on the European Tour, it was going to be a great season anyway, I wanted to cap it off in style, and I've given myself a chance to do that over the next two days. Q. Does that make you‑‑ what you just rattled off there, it's almost like no matter what happens it can't diminish, does that make it any easier? RORY MCILROY: Of course it does. Yeah. I mean, I'm going into this weekend I feel with nothing to lose. I'm the one that's got the two majors this year. I'm the one that's had the great season. Those are the guys that are trying to cap off a great season for themselves. No matter what happens over the weekend, it's going to be okay. I mean, I just want to, I feel finish my season off the way I feel like I should and the way I feel like it deserves to be finished off. So I'm not putting too much pressure on myself because it's already been a great year. But I still want to win this thing. Q. You're in a similar position two years ago having a great year like you did then and this year. Do you like the way the format of this is, where it's kind of winner take all? RORY MCILROY: I think it is. Because in years gone by after the PGA Championship, guys sort of just shut it down for the rest of the year. And at least it gives you another incentive for the next sort of five or six weeks going on. And you sort of play up until whatever it is the end of September, start of October. So I like the format. The playoffs are very volatile. You can move up very quickly. You can move down very quickly. But if you play well, then everything else takes care of itself. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|