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ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIPOctober 4, 2014Rory McIlroyCARNOUSTIE & KINGSBARNS, SCOTLAND Q. A hint of disappointment, I'm sure, with the last three holes but overall you set out with an agenda today to get yourself in a position to win and get dad through to tomorrow. Mission accomplished today? RORY McILROY: Yeah, mission accomplished, definitely. Got off to a really fast start and was trying to keep it going, and I sort of did through the turn. But as you said the last four holes weren't really what I wanted. But any time you shoot a score like that around St. Andrews, you have to be happy. Got myself into contention going into tomorrow, and Dad and I are going to get to play St. Andrews on his birthday tomorrow which will be a huge treat for both of us. Q. Nice treat for dad on the last, birdieing on the last? RORY McILROY: Nice little second shot, little bump‑and‑run up the hill. He's played great all week really. He really carried the team on Thursday when I didn't have any best at Carnoustie, and I started to make some more birdies for him. It's been great to spend some time with him and play around these great courses, and we have another day at it tomorrow which will be great. Q. Six birdies in seven to go out in 30, in a tie for the lead, what were you thinking at that stage and did 59 cross your mind? RORY McILROY: 59 never really crossed my mind. What did cross my mind was wanting to beat my previous best score, 63. That was a bit of a target for me. I wasn't quite able to do that. I knew I had some chances coming up and I missed a good birdie chance on 10, but then birdieing 11 and 12 sort of made up for that. Missed a chance on 13 to birdie 14 and all of a sudden 9‑under through 14, you're thinking, maybe get to 10 or 11 here. 16 just sort of was a good bogey in the end, and disappointed not to make a birdie at the last. But still a good score. Q. Taking into account all the ingredients involved in tomorrow, how special is it going to be for you? RORY McILROY: It's going to be really special. We're in for the team event, his 55th birthday, I have a chance to win at St. Andrews. So there's a lot of great things that can happen tomorrow. But it's just great to be able to give not just myself a chance but him a chance to play and obviously we'll be keeping a close eye on the team score, as well, to see how far we can get up there. Yeah, it's going to be a great day with Dad tomorrow regardless what happens. Q. I take it you can take a fair bit of satisfaction from a low score like that around the Old Course? RORY McILROY: Yeah, it was nice. It was nice to shoot a low one today and get myself into contention. Felt like it could have been a little bit lower, but at the same time, 64 around here, you're never going to complain about that. I played well and got off to a very fast start, and just a little bit disappointed I couldn't keep it going for the last few holes. Q. Did you have thoughts of how low you could go and the 63 you famously shot here in The Open? RORY McILROY: Yeah, that was my goal after‑‑ I think I went nine‑under through 14 and was thinking, if I could just birdie one of the last four and better my previous score around this course, I would be happy, and I wasn't able to do that. You know, I've got a another chance to do it tomorrow, so we'll see. Q. Been lovely progress across the week, after saying it was a tiny bit flat at Carnoustie. RORY McILROY: From feeling a little flat at Carnoustie to finding somewhat of a golf game yesterday at Kingsbarns to come out here and play well today, it's been a nice progression, as you said, and hopefully I can keep that going tomorrow. Q. You've got that other wish, you said at the start of the week you wanted it for your dad on his birthday coming down the last on the final day. You've moved into position. RORY McILROY: We have, it's been a great week, just to spend some time with my dad on the golf course. And my best friend, Harry, he's caddying for me, as well. It's been a real treat to be able to play these courses and to have one more crack at the Old Course tomorrow on his birthday is going to be really nice. No matter what happens tomorrow, win, lose or draw, it's going to be a great day. I have a good record around the Old Course, that's for sure. I just feel very comfortable. A lot of the tee shots fit my eye. Yeah, I feel like I know these greens very well, and that really helps and I hole a lot of putts. Another good score around the Old Course and hopefully I can have another low score tomorrow, as well. Q. How was it to play with your father? RORY McILROY: It's been fantastic. We've had a great week and to be able to have another go at the Old Course again tomorrow with him is going to be a treat for both of us, and something that we're both really looking forward to. Q. And a good present for your father tomorrow? RORY McILROY: Yes, exactly. It's his birthday tomorrow, so to be able to play around probably the most famous course in the world with him, we're both going to really enjoy that. Q. An inspiring golf course, inspiring performance from you? RORY McILROY: Yeah, it was, I played really nicely today. I love this course. I love this place. Seems like every time I go out on this course, I seem to be able to muster something up and shoot a good one, and hopefully that's the case again tomorrow. But yeah, I got off to a fast start, and I guess I was‑‑ I kept it going, 9‑under through 14 and thinking of maybe trying to better my previous best here of 63 in The Open and didn't quite do it. But still a great score and puts me in contention going into tomorrow. Q. Is that a new set of irons this week? RORY McILROY: Yeah, it is, new set of irons. I thought there might have been a bit of too much hoopla to put them in last week at The Ryder Cup, along with the new driver, so I delayed those for a week. Again, these are irons I've been practising and messing about with for the better part of three or four months. So it's not something now and something I've been playing about with, so nice to introduce them this week and hit some good shots with them and feel like they are working. Q. And we can see where you get it from, your dad's playing very nicely? RORY McILROY: He is, he's a handy golfer, he really is. He plays the crowd; any time there's a crowd around, he seems to come up with some of his best shots, like on 18, and a nice little birdie to finish for him and putts us in a nice position going into tomorrow. It's his 55th birthday tomorrow, so to be able to play the Old Course with him and for me to have a chance to win my first tournament at St. Andrews, it's going to be a special day. Q. The irons, what makes them different from the others? RORY McILROY: Looking at them, nothing. They look very similar. Just the center of gravity is moved a little bit. They have added a little more weight to the toe. So pushed the center of gravity more towards the center of the clubface. Traditional blades always had the sweet spot slightly out of the center of the heel, so they tried to move the center of gravity more towards the clubface, and obviously that helps, more consistent strikes, off‑center hits are a little better, and I'm getting a little more out of them, probably an extra mile, mile and a half of‑‑‑mile‑an‑hour of ball speed. But yeah, they have been good. Feel like I've controlled my ball flight well in the wind this week when I've needed to, so for a first week in the bag, they have performed pretty well. Q. Do you remember first time you played here? RORY McILROY: Yeah, St. Andrews Links Trophy back in 2005. Hated it. Thought it was the worst golf course I've ever played. And then it's obviously grown on me. Yeah, I just stood up on every tee and was like, what is the fascination about this place. But the more you play it and the more you learn about the golf course and the little nuances, you learn to appreciate it. Now it's my favourite golf course in the world, so it's definitely a course that grows on you. Q. Do you remember what you shot? RORY McILROY: 69. Q. Still not bad for a course you don't like. RORY McILROY: Yeah, but it's nothing to do with the score. That's not why I like a golf course. I like courses for lots of different reasons whether you shoot 64 or 74 on them. Q. Was it a gradual thing? RORY McILROY: I went away from that St. Andrews Links Trophy, it was okay, but then I guess this tournament in 2007, I played it a few more times and it started to grow on me, obviously great memories of the place, getting my Tour card and everything. So I guess that helps a little bit. And then I've played well ever since and I've just become very comfortable on the Old Course. Q. Bit of a corny one, but does winning here‑‑ RORY McILROY: For sure, but I mean, if it doesn't happen tomorrow, I don't mind waiting until July. I'm just happy that Dad and I are through to Sunday and we're able to play around here one more time and gives me an opportunity to try and win another tournament this year. Yeah, I mean, it would be special to walk up the 18th at St. Andrews having a chance to win a golf tournament. That will be nice. But we'll see what happens. As I said, if it doesn't happen tomorrow, I'll gladly wait for July next year. Q. The tee shot at 16, was it just a misjudgment? RORY McILROY: I think I just hit a downslope. I don't think it was a misjudgment. Just hit the downslope. You're aiming at that bunker down there and you think it's going to go left or right and it went straight in. Q. What did you hit for your second? RORY McILROY: Just a wedge, a lob‑wedge. Just trying to get it out. Hit it sideways. Couldn't even do that. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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