MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 9, 2022

Rory McIlroy

Quick Quotes

Q. Rory, not many scores in the red today, so how pleased are you with yours?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I played well. It's just hard to go very low out there. It's hard to -- as you said, anything under par is a good score. It's just blustery. There's no easy birdies. Even the par-5s aren't -- usually they're sort of, not guaranteed 4s, but you feel like they're holes that you would likely pick shots up on.

The way the wind's blowing, sometimes 5's a good score and you just move on.

Yeah, it's been a tough couple of days, and I've just sort of hung in there as best as I could. It's not really conditions favorable for going low and trying to get close to the leaders. So it's just sort of hanging in there and doing the best that you can.

Q. If Scottie wasn't 9 or 10 or whatever he is right now, 1-over would sort of have a swinger's chance tomorrow. Do you reassess your goals on Sunday when a guy is so far ahead?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, you're just trying to go out and shoot the best score that you possibly can without being reckless and without taking on too much risk.

So I'll try to go out and do that tomorrow. I think I moved up a few places with that score today and just try to move up a few more tomorrow and try to get a top ten and move on.

Q. What's the hardest part of these conditions? Is it like the inconsistency of the wind or just the fact that it's cold and windy?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think it's just the gusts. The gusts are what makes it pretty difficult at times. The wind completely laid down on me on 12 and I hit it into that back bank like a lot of people are.

But Sepp hit just after me and the wind gets his and balloons it up clears out and clears Rae's Creek.

So in the space of 30 seconds, two golf shots hit by two completely different strength of winds and two completely different results.

So it's not just about judging the wind, but it's also hitting the ball at the right time.

Q. (Regarding Shane.)

RORY McILROY: Yeah, he's off to a great start there. I saw he was 2-under on 7 -- yeah, 2-under at the minute. As I said, if he makes a fair run of a few pars that would be really good, if he gets to 13 and can pick one off there and one off at 15.

If Shane can hang in there and get to maybe 6 or 7, I think he'd have obviously a helluva chance tomorrow.

Q. Any secrets to staying warm when it's in the 40s like that?

RORY McILROY: Two sets?

Q. Nice.

RORY McILROY: Four hand warmers. I'm getting soft. I've been living in Florida for too long now, so this is cold for me.

Q. Is that a jacket and a vest, or is it all one piece?

RORY McILROY: It is a vest and a sweater and -- yeah, four layers. Layered up.