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DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH OPEN HOSTED BY THE RORY FOUNDATION

July 7, 2018

Jon Rahm

Ballyliffin, Republic of Ireland

Q. Try and sum up a tale of two halves, if you like, round three today,
JON RAHM: Well, played about as flawless a front nine as I can play. The only bad moment came on 7 when my club got stuck a little bit on the ground and missed the ball left of the bunker. 5-under for that front nine is extremely good, especially the way I played on the back nine.

Well, I wish I would have hit more fairways on 10 through 15, although with the wind being different, a lot harder, it was a little harder to hit some fairways. I'm just frustrated to finish -- I feel like I missed a shot on 16, 17, 18 and none of them went in.

It's frustrating because I played extremely good and I felt like I could have gone a lot lower, but let's just hope, know, tomorrow will be a better day.

Q. You had a slow start by your standards, yesterday, and today you really moved up that leaderboard. How much do you take from what you produced on that front nine to go out early and climb that board?
JON RAHM: Well, supposed to be weather coming in, so if there's some high wind and some rain, I don't think they are going to get too far away to be honest. Right now I'm four back of the leader and if the weather expected is coming in like we had, it's not an easy golf course. These are tight fairways, small greens, and you get a little bit of water and they get really, really slippery.

If the weather that's supposed to come, comes, and they go lower than 10-under, I'll be really surprised. Either way, again, it's a course where you can shoot low but you have to play really good and it's not easy to defend a lead, especially if somebody is coming from behind making some birdies.

I think the key the last two days has been the driver. If I can hit it off the tee like I have the last two days, I'll give myself some chances and hopefully make some putts.

Q. What are your thoughts on today?
JON RAHM: Obviously I would have taken 5-under before teeing off, no doubt. I wouldn't have on the 10th tee, based on how good I played on that front nine, and even how good I played on the back nine. I gave myself birdie chances but wasn't able to make the putts on the back nine to make it be the superb round I thought I was going to have. Either way, 5-under par is a great round.

Hoping right now the weather forecast comes true and they get some weather like we did because we weren't supposed to have any weather coming in. Hopefully the leaders don't get too far away.

Q. After day one, assuming you'd take this position you find yourself in right now?
JON RAHM: Definitely, I would have taken, day one, being the position I am now -- I'm not going to say I'm sure because I always believe I can play really good and shoot low rounds but high percentage I would have taken it.

Q. Last Spanish player to win back-to-back Irish Opens was Seve. What would it mean to you to do that here tomorrow?
JON RAHM: I mean, the last and only, I believe, isn't it.

Q. Colin Montgomerie has done it, as well?
JON RAHM: Spanish. I mean, it would be very, very special, for many reasons. It was my first European Tour win, and to successfully defend it would be absolutely amazing. To tie Seve in that sense of being the second Spaniard to win it twice would be amazing. And the fact it's a Rolex Series Event and it's the Irish Open, right, it makes it so much more special.

The people are gracious around here. They really understand the game of golf, and they enjoy good golf. I know I play very different golf to what they are used to watching when I'm hitting drivers all over the place on this course. It's always great to have a crowd like that and them cheering me and like they did last year. I'm pretty sure I'll have them again tomorrow and I would love to do the same for them.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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