MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 8, 2022

Rory McIlroy

Quick Quotes

Q. Just how difficult a challenge was that out there with what's going on?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, it's tough. It's really tough. It's gusty. It's hard to commit to -- you know, it's hard to commit to a number and say, okay, it's 170. It's really playing 200 or whatever it is and just committing to it because the wind's so much up and down.

So just trying to take the ball out of the air as much as possible. But the greens are getting firm as well, so then it makes it hard to stop it on the green. So it's a tough challenge. Being okay with hitting to 30 feet and taking two putts and making pars, that's sort of the name of the game out there today.

Q. How proud are you of the work that you did from 12 through to 18?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, that was a soft couple of holes there on 10 and 11, giving away three shots. Then to play the last seven in 2-under was really nice. I hit the ball very well coming in. I felt like I left a couple out there too. I had a few chances.

It's just sort of one of those days that, even the ten-footers are sort of difficult because the wind's gusting and you're thinking, is it going to affect the putt? Is it not? And just getting settled over it. Just one of those days in these conditions where it unsettles you a little bit and puts a little bit of doubt in your mind. That's when golf can become really difficult.

Q. When it's soft holes at 10 and 11 and then the next shot you face is the tee shot at 12, that has to be the height of unsettling?

RORY MCILROY: Of course. And in front of us, Jordan hit two in the water, so that wasn't a great visual either. Yeah, it's again -- and then Brooks hit it first and hit it straight over the green. The wind died.

It's just, it's so up and down. I'm glad to be off the course at this point.

Q. Enjoy the challenge, Rory?

RORY MCILROY: I do. I do enjoy the challenge. Yeah, this is what major championship golf is all about. It's not easy, and it's not supposed to be easy. I think the conditions look pretty similar tomorrow as well, so looking forward to that.

Q. You've been in a lot of positions after 36 holes here. How do you feel about this one, five or six back?

RORY MCILROY: Someone might get to 4 or 5-under by the end of the day, but I still feel like I'm right there. You go out tomorrow and you play a decent front nine, and all of a sudden you're right in the thick of things.

I'm in a decent position. I'd like to be a couple of shots better at least, but I'm still right there.

Q. What's the process for when you see a bad shot in front of you to committing to your own shot?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, it's hard. I think whenever you see someone in front of you hit it into the trouble that you're trying to avoid, maybe give yourself just a little bit more margin for error and aim a little further to the right or to the left or take more club or whatever it is.

It's almost -- like I made double on 11, but in a way you're sort of happy to not be the first hitting the tee shot because at least you can learn from your playing partner's ball and you can see the ball flight and how much the wind affects it. I'm not saying you want to try to make a bogey before every par-3, but in these conditions, it's not a bad idea.

Q. What did you do to regather yourself after the 11th just to make sure things didn't slip away?

RORY MCILROY: I just needed to hit the green on 12. I just needed to make par on 12. That's what I did, and that sort of was a nice reset, then I played the next few holes really well after that.

Q. You talked a lot about just your own approach changing over the years. How much does simple maturity sort of help you these days or play into the way you attack Augusta?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, it's maturity. It's experience. It's walking away 13 years in a row empty handed. So it's like, eh, it's just sort of go out and play and see what happens.

Q. How was the decision-making process different on 15 this year?

RORY MCILROY: Just it's so hard, especially the way the wind is right now, it's in off the left. So it's so hard to hit it up that right side and commit. So it's made it a tougher tee shot. You're more likely to be blocked out by those trees on the left just because of the camber of the fairway.

Then there's no decision to be made there. It's just you can't go for the green. So it's really dependent on the tee shot now, and you have to hit a great tee shot to give yourself a chance to go for that green in two.

Q. Nice up and down on 18. Did you land that exactly where you were aiming for?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, and it's sort of nice -- yeah, there's actually been a few bunker shots this week where I've had to land it on that collar there because I've short-sided myself a few too many times. But it's one of the nice things about this place even if you do miss it in the wrong spot. If you're willing to be as precise as that with the next shot, it gives you a chance of making a par, or at least hitting a great shot and giving yourself a good chance at a par.

Q. Were you trying to put your second shot in the bunker?

RORY MCILROY: Honestly, if it hadn't have finished in the crowd at the right, it would have been the result. I mean, I hit that 8-iron 60 yards. But I thought, if I missed it right, at least the third shot would be back into the wind so I could get some spin on it, but yeah.

Q. What effect has the ball change that you made out here?

RORY MCILROY: It's actually been really good. I was playing a spinier golf ball, and it just would have made things a lot more difficult. I would have had to have played a lot more wind. Yeah, it's actually been -- it's been a really -- it's been really beneficial over the last couple of days.

Q. Did you look at the forecast to make the change, or was that something you were already considering?

RORY MCILROY: You know, we've played in so much wind this year. I played Abu Dhabi this year. It was really windy. Bay Hill got windy. PLAYERS was obviously very windy. San Antonio was windy.

I think the wind magnified some of the characteristics that that ball had, and I'd just had enough of chipping 6-irons 160 yards. Like I wanted to just feel like I could make full swings with a 7-iron and still hit the same shot. So that's why I went to a lower spinning ball, and it's helped this week.

Q. Rory, total respect to Augusta, but all these years to walk away empty handed, how do you end up not having a love-hate relationship with the place or sort of resenting, like being annoyed when you get here? How do you still love this place?

RORY MCILROY: No, I -- for a golfer, it's one of the best places on earth. Someone could argue St. Andrews. Someone could argue here. But it's such a cool place that you can never hate it. Sometimes I hate the results of the tournament, but in terms of the place and the club and the membership, it's wonderful, and I always have a great time here.

Q. Is it easier to put a round of golf behind you now that you can go home to your family than it might have been five, six, seven, eight years ago?

RORY MCILROY: I'd like to say yes, but no. I'd like to say, yeah, it's lovely. No, I'm still playing with Poppy and thinking about the 6-iron on 11. So I'd love to say yes, but no.

Q. Have a few more, and it will keep you busier.

RORY MCILROY: One's enough at the moment (laughter).