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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 14, 2019

Rory McIlroy

Augusta, Georgia

Q. Rory, you had four looks at the fifth hole in competition now, what's your assessment of the challenge of that hole?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it was southerly winds. I hit a really good drive right there and still had a 5‑iron in. I pitched it back and got it on which was a good thing. Made the front line just probably a half shot tougher than it usually does.

Q. That's going to be the most difficult hole for the week, probably, surprise there?
RORY McILROY: No, not really. I mean I'm one of the longer hitters and hitting 5‑iron in there. Yeah, I'm a little surprised at that. I still would have felt like 11 would be the toughest hole of the week. It was for me. But, yeah, that's sort of surprising. But I can see why.

Q. I'm sure you didn't want to be finishing on the 9th green?
RORY McILROY: Nice and quiet.

Q. Listening to the roars coming up there, what do you take from the week?
RORY McILROY: I don't know, I mean like my game is still there. I hit a few loose shots and cost myself a few too many bogeys. And that was really it. I think I played just‑‑ I think I played the par‑5s in 11‑under for the week. I must have played the par‑3s in about even or even a bit under par. So it was really the par‑4s. And that's just putting myself out of position off the tee. And then once you get yourself out of position it's very hard to put yourself back in position. You miss greens, trying to get it up and down, you put pressure on yourself.
So my driving accuracy wasn't quite as good this week as it has been the last few weeks. And that was probably the main reason why I didn't contend this week.

Q. Did you learn anything from a week where you're not at the business end of things?
RORY McILROY: I think you learn more from those weeks than you do the other weeks. You've got some time to reflect out there and maybe think about where you could have done things maybe slightly differently, I guess.
But yeah, I've got two weeks off now which I'm looking forward to. And looking forward to regrouping. And there's still so much good golf left this year, three major championships and all of that sort of stuff, big events and I'll move on from this pretty quickly and just get ready for the next few months.

Q. Is there a common denominator to the mistakes?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I didn't hit it in the fairway too much.

Q. Is this the kind of run today you had on Thursday, we're talking about a completely different tournament for you?
RORY McILROY: I don't think so. You know, it's always nice to get off to a good start, but at the same time 73 on Thursday, that's the point I came in, wasn't that bad. I was only four shots off the lead. Obviously the guys posted a couple of good numbers. But there was just a few too many left shots in there. I don't think a 60 would have eradicated those loose shots later on in the week, it all sort of evens out in the end. And I didn't just didn't play well enough to give myself a chance.

Q. Anything you think you'll do differently in the lead off in your prep next year?
RORY McILROY: I might play the week before. That's what I tried to do. I was sorting talking this morning, saying I might play the week before. If anything I just wasn't quite as sharp as I have been in previous weeks. I played quite a bit leading up to this, but obviously took the week off last week. It's not that I didn't play or practice, and I was trying to get myself ready, but I think I realized over the past couple of years the best way for me personally to get ready for tournaments is play the week before, usually.

Q. Would that mean the match play schedule wouldn't remain the same?
RORY McILROY: No, I'd probably play match play, maybe play match play, San Antonio and here, yeah, yeah. Three in a row has actually been okay for me at times, as well.

Q. You always look forward to coming here?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it's an awesome week. Look at it, it's amazing.

Q. How much of a let down is it to not really be a factor in the tournament?
RORY McILROY: It seems like you guys are more disappointed than I am. I'm good. I'll go home and I'll get ready for Charlotte in a couple of weeks time and get ready for that and then obviously the PGA at Bethpage. And that's a busy run and a busy summer of golf. And hopefully get myself and get my game in the right place.

Q. Were you keeping an eye on the weather?
RORY McILROY: Yes, it's going to be interesting the final two holes. I saw Francesco made 5, himself. So it will be an exciting few holes coming up.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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