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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2017

June 16, 2017

Rory McIlroy

Erin, Wisconsin

Q. How did you play today?
RORY McILROY: Showed up for the last six holes, anyway. Yeah, it was okay. I definitely hit it better off the tee. I think I hit 10 or 11 fairways other than the four or five I did yesterday. Gave myself a lot more looks. But I think at the end of the day, it's competitive rounds and get the card in my hand. And I've been very light on competitive rounds this year, and it's just a matter of getting into a good round of golf now.

I saw some positives there on the back nine coming in, and hopefully I can take them to the Travelers next week. And as I said, just excited to get on a run of golf and get going.

Q. Did you feel your timing and your rhythm were better today?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, definitely, I had a chat with Michael last night, and my transition was just very quick. Basically I was getting to the top and it was a real lunge at it. So I just tried to smooth out the transition today and it definitely worked. A weekend with a little bit of practice coming up. I think at this point in time I just need to play a round of golf. And I feel, even though it's very disappointing to not be here on the weekend, but I think these last two rounds will serve me well going into the summer.

Q. Can you start to try and take a little bit of confidence into what's a busy run this summer?
RORY McILROY: I think so. I started to let it go a little bit on the back nine today. And I showed what I can do. I birdied four of the last six. I probably could have birdied all of the last six. It didn't matter at that point because I was so far from the cut line. But at least I know it's in there, it's just a matter of getting it out of me and getting myself in the right frame of mind.

And yesterday, coming off an injury, I was a little anxious going out there. I got off to a good start, but it sort of caught up with me as the round went on. I think the more rounds I can play, I'm hopefully going to get rid of all that stuff and hopefully strip it down to what you saw the last six holes.

Q. I think you came in here with a certain mental attitude, even with the lack of competitive rounds, is it fair to say that in practice and the way that you feel that a run like you put in at the end of 2014 might be in the making?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, you never know when you're going to embark on a run like that. But at the same time I feel like it's in there. I'm optimistic with where my game is. Some of where my game is. Hopefully I've got a lot of the bad stuff out of my system yesterday and some parts today. And again, it's just a matter of getting competitive rounds under my belt.

I'm playing next week in Connecticut. I've got a nice run leading up to The Open Championship. I've got a busy summer, so I'm excited to play a lot of golf. I feel like that's going to help me to get back into contention and hopefully try to win some of these things.

Q. How hungry are you just for that big win, to put the injury behind you? Good stuff as well in the first half of the year, but how hungry are you to start making it?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I'm hungry, but I'm not going to force it. I'm going to let it happen. I'm going to play. The worst thing I can do is go and force it, because that's not my game. I sort of have to let it come to me little bit. And I know if I go out and play the golf I'm capable of, good things should happen. So I'm just focusing on doing what I can do and I want to win tournaments, but if I do the right thing, I hit fairways, I swing it better and hole putts, it should all add up to being successful.

Q. What sort of (inaudible)?
RORY McILROY: I think just in practice I was really, really good, and I just wasn't able to translate that on to the golf course. You play 54 holes around here before the golf tournament, I felt really, really comfortable. I drove the ball well, my irons were good. Everything was in good shape. But you never really know until you put a card in your hand and you're under the gun little bit. And some of the weaknesses and flaws that are in my game at the minute showed up over the last couple of days. It's good to see those and see what needs to be worked on.

Q. What do you think of the golf course?
RORY McILROY: The golf course is great, it really is. I'm a big fan of this place. It's a big, big golf course, with long rough and all that stuff, but it lets you play. It lets you be aggressive, you can get on runs where you can make birdies. Not your typical U.S. Open setup. But I'm a big fan. I think it's going to produce a really good winner at the end of the week. And, yeah, if it plays like this, it should be. Looking forward to how it unfolds over the weekend.

Q. (Inaudible.)
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I didn't think it was the putter, it was the guy on the end of it. Yeah, I just wasn't really -- again, it's all on holing the putts on the practice green, but it's a different kettle of fish when you get out on the course and have to read slope, read downhill, uphill into the green, side green. There's a lot of variables that go into it. And again, that's only stuff that you can learn whenever you go out there and play.

So I missed the cut, but I'm optimistic going forward. I know I'm doing the right thing. I feel good about the putting, and I just have to put four rounds under my belt.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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