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WGC HSBC CHAMPIONSNovember 1, 2019Rory McIlroyShanghai, China Q. Probably felt like you left a few out there today. Looking back at this round, will you look at it as a round you got a way, or that you still shot 67 around a hard track? RORY McILROY: Yeah, the latter. 67 around here, the way I started, 4-under through six, I was thinking maybe shoot a better score than I shot yesterday. But you start -- you miss a couple fairways, miss a couple of greens and this course all of a sudden gets pretty tricky. It's easy from the fairways, but I sort of veered off them a little bit around the middle of the round but was able to get back on track. It was obviously nice to finish the way I did, especially after the mess I nearly made at 16. Q. You've been on fire the last few months. What's been the biggest key to such good play over the last few months? RORY McILROY: I think my short game has been really good, which takes the pressure off your long game, so I can be a little more free with my long game, go at a few more pins and be a little more aggressive and because of that, I'm hitting it closer and giving myself plenty of chances for birdies. If I do miss, I've got my short game to ball back on and rely on and I've been able to get the ball up-and-down very well the last few months. All of that combined with the second shots, and confidence if I do miss a green, that's been a key to shooting some of these low scores. Q. Key for the weekend, in particular on this golf course, when we know it's going to give up a decent amount of low scores? RORY McILROY: Yeah, it was firm at the start of the week. I'm surprised it hasn't got just a touch firmer. I even felt the course was maybe a touch firmer yesterday than it was today. I'm not sure how much water they put on the course. But I would expect it to firm up a little bit going into the weekend, which would make it a tough test. I still think there's birdies out there. As you said, you've got the four par 5s and a couple of the shorter par 4s. Yeah, game plan is try and just keep it on the fairways and from there, the course is pretty scorable. Q. Can you talk about the first two rounds? RORY McILROY: Delighted with the first two rounds. To put myself right in contention going into the weekend is something that I wanted to do. It's something that I haven't done a lot of over the last few weeks. I've sort of had bad starts and then clawed my way back into a good position at the end, but to be right in the tournament after two days, I'm excited. Q. Another coming to China, and one more time here. Can you speak something to the fans? RORY McILROY: Yeah, it's good to be back in China. I feel like this tournament, the HSBC Champions tournament, has gotten bigger and better every year. The support out there is fantastic, and excited to play in front the Chinese people for another two days. Q. You did a very good job today, how do you feel? RORY McILROY: Yeah, it was good. I got off to a very good start. I was 4-under through six. Made four birdies in a row. Then it sort of slowed up a little bit around the middle of the round, but I started -- I had some chances. I made a good birdie on 13. Had a about chance on 14 and 16, as well, but with all of that said, I made a good 3 at the last and keeps me in it and good to be in contention going into the weekend. Q. Last week, you dominated the par 5s. Today you missed some birdie chances on the par 5s. RORY McILROY: Yeah, I drove it into the rough on all but one of the par 5s, and if you drive it in the rough here, there's just no chance to go for the green in two. So yeah, I laid up on the second hole and the 8th hole. 14, I went for the green in two but had a tricky chip shot and missed a short putt. I should have made birdie there but then if you hit the fairway like I did on 18, you have chances and over the weekend, I need to hit the fairways on every hole, but especially the par 5s to give myself those easy birdie opportunities. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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