THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY WORKDAY

June 3, 2022

Rory McIlroy

Muirfield Village

Quick Quotes

Q. Satisfied with the round today?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, another solid day's play. Couple of silly bogeys. Bogeyed the 11th par-5 and the 14th for the second day in a row. But I guess it sort of happens around here. It's getting tricky and you're going to make bogeys regardless of where they come.

Overall, two solid rounds of golf, right in contention going into the weekend, depending what guys do this afternoon. Yeah, happy with how everything is sort of going.

Q. Did you see a change in the golf course today from yesterday?

RORY MCILROY: Not yet. It's still a little soft right there. Greens are still receptive. It might change a bit by the end of the day. But I'm expecting by tomorrow it will probably get back to as firm as it was sort of those Monday/Tuesday practice rounds. It was surprisingly firm then. And I think that's the way they want to play it around here is try to get it as firm and fast as possible.

Looks like the weather forecast is going to allow that to happen.

Q. You mentioned the other day when they asked you about putters, you mentioned Denny McCarthy right away. He's sitting there at 7-under. Why? Why did he come to mind? What makes him a good putter? Do you play with him much back at home?

RORY MCILROY: The only time I've played with him is out here on TOUR. I think he plays up at Medalist quite a bit, maybe.

I mean, he's up at the top of the stats every year. It was just more of that. But playing with him out here as well, he putts it very well. The putts that don't go in look like they have a chance. And yeah, good putters on these greens, as good as they are, if they get their eye, they're going to hole a lot of putts.

Q. Obviously the winner here gets the traditional handshake with Jack. How much would just that in itself mean to get that?

RORY MCILROY: I think it's a special moment in anyone's career being able to walk up the hill off your tee and get that handshake. I'd love to win here. I won at Bay Hill at Arnold's place, but I was never able to get that handshake because Arnold passed away a couple years before. It makes it extra special when you're able to win a tournament, whether it's hosted by Jack or Arnold or any of the greats in the game.

Q. Anything you need to do better than you've done the first two days to keep yourself in contention?

RORY MCILROY: I've hit it in the fairway pretty often. As it firms up, I think just the premiums on ball-striking, hitting fairways and hitting greens. If you can do that around here, you're going to have a chance.