![](images/spacer.gif) |
Browse by Sport |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
Find us on |
![ASAP sports on Facebook](images/fb_icon.gif) |
![ASAP sports on Twitter](images/twitter_icon.png) |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
November 21, 2014
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Q. You made the game look very easy at times and at times it didn't. What was going on out there?
RORY McILROY: I just didn't quite have it. I guess you're going to get rounds like that when you're coming back from a little bit of a lay‑off. I felt like I did well. I grinded out a score which was the main thing. I'm still pretty close to the lead. So there's still 36 holes to go, so I'm still in a good position.
Q. When you're not swinging your best as you were during that front nine, hit a few loose shots, are you trying to fix it mid round?
RORY McILROY: No, I think it's just sticking to what you've been thinking about during your golf swing and not really second guessing yourself or doubting yourself at all. But I started to hit some better shots on the back nine and I'm sure tomorrow I'll hit a few more.
Q. Having made birdies at 14 and 15, how frustrating to 3‑putt 16 and hit in the water on the last and lose the momentum you were building up?
RORY McILROY: A little bit. The birdies on 14 and 15 were nice. I hit a nice second shot into 16 and just ran the putt a little too far by. It was nice to bounce back on 17 with a birdie and I felt like I hit a really good drive on the last to sort of trundle into the water. It was okay, happy with where I'm at. Two behind with 36 holes to go, there's a lot of golf left to play.
Q. Not quite the day you had yesterday but you still posted a red number. Was this one of those days where you turned a 73 into a 70 or did you maximise everything out of your round today?
RORY McILROY: I maximised most of my round. It could have been worse but again, it probably could have been a little better. I definitely didn't have it like I did yesterday. I had to dig in a little bit and there was a few good up‑and‑downs. Yeah, it wasn't quite as easy as it was yesterday, so hopefully that's the bad one out of the way and I have 36 holes now to make some ground up on Henrik.
Q. You seemed like you were close to having a good day. What was missing in your opinion?
RORY McILROY: I guess I wasn't really hitting it close enough and then when I did give myself some opportunities, I didn't make them, and I just found it hard to sort of get any momentum going out there.
And the birdies on 14 and 15 were really nice, and then to give them away easily with a 3‑putt on 16 was frustrating but then to bounce back on 17 was good, and it would have been nice to birdie the last but after where I hit my tee shot, I'll settle for a par.
Q. I guess every 72‑hole tournament has a bit of a tread water day, would you say?
RORY McILROY: A little bit. In the middle of the back nine, I set myself a target, if I could shoot anything in the 60s, it would be a decent day. I didn't quite do that; I shot 70. It wasn't the way I played yesterday, but it was still solid enough.
I didn't really lose too much ground. I'm two behind going into the weekend which isn't much about this place. You saw how I got off to a fast start yesterday and you can make those shots up quite quickly.
Just need to be a little bit more consistent with my ball‑striking tomorrow, give myself more opportunities for birdies and hopefully I can convert a few.
Q. I was going to ask you, what the difference was today compared with yesterday when it was flowing so nicely?
RORY McILROY: I'm not too sure because I had a really good warm up section today on the range. I felt like I hit it pretty well the first few holes. I hit a couple loose shots but still hit quite a lot of quality ones. Just didn't quite have the confidence as I did yesterday.
Q. But, still the platform to leave the year on a real, real high over the weekend?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, as I said, I'm in a good position. I'm only two back. There's 36 holes to play so there's still a lot of golf left. I have definitely been in worse positions after two days.
Q. And managed to win.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, exactly. So I'm looking forward to it.
Q. What was that moment like for Shane on 13?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I never looked anywhere else. As soon as it left the clubface, it looked like it had a chance of going in. I think it was his first one in competition, as well. It was good to see. We both had our struggles out there, but hopefully we can have better days tomorrow.
Q. Is there a description for the second shot on 7? What quite happened there?
RORY McILROY: Fat. A fat load, a cook runner, not intentional. That fairway is a lot‑‑ I actually haven't hit from that fairway yet this week because in the Pro‑Am, I hit it in the rough and then yesterday in the first round, I hit it in the fairway bunker. So it's a little soggy‑‑ I'm not saying‑‑
Q. Not using that as an excuse?
RORY McILROY: Well, not 100 per cent.
Q. 3‑wood?
RORY McILROY: 5‑wood.
Q. How dangerous is Henrik around this venue, given what he did last year, 25‑under is very special.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, he's very comfortable on this golf course obviously. I can't let him get too far ahead tomorrow. I have to get off to a fast start and try and put a bit of pressure on him. Hopefully I can do that.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
|
![](images/spacer.gif) |