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ABU DHABI HSBC CHAMPIONSHIP

January 21, 2018

Rory McIlroy

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Q. What's your assessment?
RORY McILROY: I'm really happy with how I played. It could have been a little bit better today. I was a little bit scrappy but the conditions sort of, I felt like shooting anything in the 60s would have been a good score. I didn't quite do that; I shot 70.

Overall, I'm really happy how I played this week. My game is in really good shape and I saw some really, really positive signs. So I'm looking forward to next week in Dubai and obviously looking forward to the rest of the season.

Q. Going to place of your first victory, so your thoughts going into Dubai next week?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it's a golf course I know very well. As I said, my game is in good shape. So I have to doubt if I can play the same way I played this week, I'll have a good chance again next week.

It's just a matter of dust myself off and sort of looking back on this week, I think it's been a huge success for me, even though I didn't win today. I felt like I got a lot out of it, and yeah, I'm excited to get back at it again next week.

Q. What's your thoughts on the way Tommy Fleetwood has come on the last 12 months?
RORY McILROY: It's incredible. He had a great year last year, won The Race to Dubai, No. 1 in Europe and then to just keep going. This week, defending champion, to put that round of golf together out there today, I mean, 65 in those conditions is seriously impressive.

And 6-under, back nine when he needed to. He's a great addition to the world of golf, a great addition to The European Tour and will be a great addition to The Ryder Cup team in September.

Q. Had you been offered this scenario in its entirety for your first one back in three months, would you have taken it?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I would have. I really would have. Again, I didn't really know what my expectations were coming into this week. I just wanted to get back on the golf course and play again. I've done that, and I've played pretty well. Felt like I did everything I wanted to do.

Maybe didn't get the ball close enough on the back nine today but apart from there. You know, it's been really good. I'm really happy with how I played this week and gives me confidence going into not only next week but the few months ahead, as well.

Q. So fair to say, you feel further ahead of where you felt you should be?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think so. I mean, yeah, where I've come from the last three months just in terms of my health and my golf and everything, I'm in a much better place now than when I sort of left the game for a little bit in October.

Really happy with that, and yeah, just looking forward to getting back at it again next week and trying to put myself in contention again and try to get my name on that trophy one more time in Dubai.

Q. I know you weren't playing with Tommy Fleetwood, but you'll have seen his numbers today. Just put it into context how fantastic that back nine is in those conditions.
RORY McILROY: I thought where the pins were, as well, on the back nine today, it was very tough. It was very tough to get close to the holes. I didn't hit it in the fairway very often but even when I did, it's tough to get it within 15, 20 feet of the hole to give yourself a chance.

So to shoot 6-under on that back nine is seriously impressive.

Q. How good of news is that for European golf overall?
RORY McILROY: It's great. I think the field that was assembled here this week is very, very strong, having the world No. 1 here and you had a lot of strong players. For Tommy to defend and in such style against such a great field, it bodes well not just for him, but as you said, for European golf. I said earlier, it will be a great addition to The Ryder Cup team come late September, early October.

Q. What pleased you most this week?
RORY McILROY: I think my attitude, my patience, my comfort level of being back in the environment. I didn't really know -- I know it's only three months, but things change and I felt like maybe I needed a couple of weeks to get back into the thought process that you need to get into for competitive golf and scenarios and this and that. But I felt like I got into that pretty quickly this week, so that was probably the most pleasing thing.

Q. Health-wise, after four competitive rounds, you're feeling exactly as you hoped?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, feeling good. Feeling good. I'll probably take a day off tomorrow. It's been quite a -- building up to this and playing every day and practising, I'll take a day off tomorrow.

Look, it's just something I'm going to have to keep on top of. It's something that I'm wary of now and know that there's certain vulnerabilities in my body like there is with everyone, whether someone -- I used to have to look after my lower back in the early days and now that's fine. Just going to have to look after this for a while but it's totally fine. I'm 100 percent and yeah, as I say, I can't wait to get at it again next week.

I thought I played a about front nine, 2-under par. I felt like that was really good in the conditions. I had shot 2-under on the back nine, I thought that would have been good enough to at least get into a playoff.

Obviously Tommy had different ideas. No, he played fantastically well. I have no complaints about how I played this week. I felt like I did everything I needed to. Just the better man won today.

Q. How did it feel mentally, physically to get that tournament under your belt?
RORY McILROY: Felt great. Felt great to get another tournament under my belt. It's a great start to the year. I have no complaints. My body held up really well. My game was probably better than I expected it to be. So I'm really happy with the week.

Q. What about Tommy to shoot 7-under in those conditions in that sort of event?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, 7-under today, 6-under back nine, as I said, I thought if you shot anything under par, 1- or 2-under on the back nine, that was a good score. For him to do that is seriously impressive. He's been playing well for a long time now, and he's the guy to beat in Europe right now.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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