DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH OPEN

July 4, 2021

Rory McIlroy

Mount Juliet Estate

Quick Quotes

Q. Thoughts on that?

RORY McILROY: Not great. Yeah, I didn't drive the ball well at all. I didn't hit a fairway with my driver. The rest of the game actually feels okay, irons, but when you're not putting the ball in the fairway, it's hard to score.

Yeah, I just need to do some work with the driver and get the ball -- in some ways, it's nice going to two links courses the next two weeks because there isn't as much of an emphasis as hitting driver as a course like here, so sort of looking forward to that. I feel like I've got a pretty good 2-iron that I can hit a lot the next couple of weeks and at least get the ball in play because I feel like when I get the ball in play, I can actually play from there.

Q. Tell us about the eagle.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I missed the fairway left with my drive but got lucky and got a good lie with my second shot. I had a 6-iron from -- it was just over 200 yard and hit a nice shot in there to inside six feet. It's a nice way to bounce back after the double on 2.

Q. What will you take from the week as a whole?

RORY McILROY: Not much. I mean, I just have to do some work on my game. Felt rusty in places and yeah, just got to make a few improvements over the next couple weeks.

Q. Give us your assessment of this week's Irish Open.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, on the playing front, it wasn't great. I struggled for three days and played pretty nicely on Friday. Just over the weekend, didn't get the ball in play as much as I needed to and then from there, the driver cost me a few shots and that was really it. I feel like the rest of my game's pretty good.

But I just need to get the ball in play more, and if I put it in the fairway, I can then at least give myself -- hit good iron shots, give myself chances for birdies. It just felt like I was scrambling quite a lot this week.

Q. What will you be working on most over the next week to prepare for the next major of the year?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I mean, it's very hard to sort of get anything out of this week because of the style of golf it is compared to -- I said yesterday, I'm happy that I added The Scottish Open in just to get a feel for some links golf. I haven't played a links course in nearly two years. So it will be nice to get back on a links and get familiar with it again.

But yeah, I mean, that's the thing. I need to hit the ball in play, and I think it's very much against how I play, I might just need to throw it back a bit and hit more irons off tees and get the ball in play, because that's what's going to help me at least avoid the big scores or the big numbers, and just give me a little bit more of a chance to make some birdies.

Q. Overall, how are you feeling? How are the confidence levels heading into The Open?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I mean, they feel okay. Yeah, I certainly don't feel as good about where I'm at compared to where I was after the U.S. Open. But I've got another week to get ready and prepare, and I obviously want to play well next week, as well and have a chance to win. There's nothing better than preparing for a major championship by getting into contention the week before.

But I need to work pretty hard on my game the next few days before heading into The Scottish Open.