WGC DELL TECHNOLOGIES MATCH PLAY

March 26, 2023

Rory McIlroy

Austin Country Club

Quick Quotes - Consolation Match

Q. A long week and it looked to me like there was a lot of positives to take out of you're game. What are your thoughts on this week overall?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, a ton of positives to take away. I think Scottie and I were both disappointed that we lost our matches this morning. It was a bit of a pillow fight there for quite a bit of the match. But we produced some good golf on that back nine and we created some birdies. Yeah, tons of positives.

If you had told me that I would make it to the Sunday of the match play last week, I would have taken that. I had my chances against Cam this morning, just couldn't quite put him away. But it was nice to come out here and get a win this afternoon.

Q. A long week last week grinding, using some new equipment. Obviously, this week was a long week. What's your plan next week in front of the following week, which I think we all know is a major first season -- first major of the season?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, exactly, a little place in Augusta, Georgia. Day off tomorrow, I think. Rest, recover, refuel. But, yeah, I -- you know, I'm going to maybe go up there for a day and mess around. I was already up there last week. Don't think there's any harm in going up again. So I'll probably -- hopefully maybe do that one day.

And yeah, practice. I don't think anything is in, you know, real need of tons of practice. I think my game's in really good shape, so just keep it ticking over and work on the shots that I need for Augusta National and away we go.

Q. 123 holes of golf played. You don't go home with the trophy, but what do you go home with?

RORY McILROY: I guess it's called a consolation match for a reason. Consolation was going out there and winning a match this afternoon, obviously, playing No. 1 player in the world. So I just had to regroup and try to -- I got off to a decent start and got up on Scottie early. And then we were trading a few bogeys here and there. It was a bit of a pillow fight in the middle of the round.

But then we traded some birdies at the end. Look, it's nice to walk away with a win after the disappointment of this morning, not being able to put Cam away, but overall, it's been a really good week and it was something to really build on going into Augusta.

Q. This was a big week. Another big week ahead in two weeks time. What are you most looking forward to at the Masters?

RORY McILROY: Just sort of seeing where my game is. I feel a lot better about things now compared to this time a couple weeks ago after THE PLAYERS Championship. So try to rest and recover a little bit over the next couple of days, and, yeah, all eyes on Augusta and just making sure that the game's ready.

But everything feels in really good order, just work on some things that I know that I'll need for that week and just make sure I'm ready and rested.

Q. Who starts the week trying saying, I'm trying to get into the third place match. After the disappointment of the morning, a tough defeat, I thought you and Scottie battled as hard as you could. It would be easy to mail it in a little bit, but you guys talk took it all the way to the 17th hole.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, we did. It's probably one of the reasons why we're two of the best players in the world. We certain don't give up. I thought at least -- it was disappointing not to put Cam away this morning, but then you're going up against the No. 1 player in the world. Like, there's some incentive to go out there and try your hardest. So I knew I was going to need to throw a few birdies at Scottie, which I did, mixed in with a few bad swings and a few bogeys. But overall, really nice to end the week on a positive note and, yeah, I guess third's better than fourth.

Q. As a golf fan, as a golf announcer, 1 versus 3, we're excited to see that third place match. As player, does 1 versus 3 mean anything to you? Do you like to check your game out against world No. 1, which you were, which you will be again at some point?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I mean, I think for both Scottie and I, if we're both playing this well, fast forward to a couple weeks' time, two Sundays from now, it's probably not bad preparation. More likely than not one of us is probably going to be in contention going into that final round. So to play a round like this is incredibly helpful.

Q. Kind of a shakedown cruise this week for some equipment changes, different look putter, different shaft in the driver. How did that turn out and what are your thoughts going forward?

RORY McILROY: Really exciting. I thought I drove the ball a lot better this week compared to the PLAYERS. And then I felt -- I felt pretty good with the putter and probably better as each day went on, holed some nice putts, holed some nice putts this afternoon against the Scottie. So for the first week out I thought both ends of the bag, the driver and the putter, worked pretty well.

Q. 6 and 1 this week. The only match you lost was extra holes this morning. As you look back on the entire week, I guess I'm assuming that you are -- you feel positive about how you played, right?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I am. The only thing I'll be disappointed about this week are those final three holes this morning against Cam, not being able to put him away being 2-up with three to go. But apart from that, really bullish on where my game is, especially knowing what's around the corner in a couple weeks' time. It's always nice. Like, I've been in one of these consolation matches before and it's -- you know, it's hard to regroup and get yourself together to go out there and compete again, but I felt like did I a really good job of that and hung in there mentally and was able to get one over on Scottie, which was nice.

Q. I'm not sure you have any questions about your game heading into this championship, but if you did, what were answered?

RORY McILROY: The driver's definitely better. I thought the putter looked pretty good for the most part. I felt like I progressed with the putter as the week went on. The short game was sharp. So all in all I thought most aspects of the game were in good shape. I think next week's about resting, recovering, but then also looking ahead to see what sort of shots I'm going to need for Augusta and sort of work on those. I've worked with, I look at the stats sort of after every week and I'll analyze where my game's good, where it maybe needs some improvement and then I'll sort of marry that to the statistical profile of Augusta National and what I need to do well there and I'll plan my practice for the week and there we go.

Q. You played in this championship so many years, you won it. Any sentimentality now that it's in the rear view mirror?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, you know, hopefully it's not in the rear view mirror for too long. It's not on the schedule for 2024, but that's not to say that it won't be on the schedule for 2025. I think if you look at player sentiment, if you look at public opinion, I think it will be a real shame not to have a match play event on the schedule, no matter what it is or where it is. Match play is the purest form of the game and for the biggest tour in the world not to play a match play event would be a real shame. So, look, for one year, 2024, it's not going to be here, but hopefully in the future it is.