TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

June 22, 2023

Rory McIlroy

TPC River Highlands

Quick Quotes

Q. Rory, talk us through your first ace on the PGA TOUR.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, 5-iron to 115 yards slightly back into the wind off the right. And, yeah, as hole in ones go, I've had them in the past where it has been like an okay shot and you get a little lucky. That was the best shot of the day that I hit.

Obviously a bonus for it to go in the hole, but it was really cool. I played pretty averagely up until that point. Felt like that hole in one got me going a little bit. Birdied the next couple holes after that and sort of got me into the tournament a bit.

Q. Seemed like you were equally entertained by how hole 10 played out. What happened there?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, so Tom and I both hit that tree in the fairway, and I don't think I've ever seen one ball hit the tree in the group that I've played in, so to see two hit it. I felt like I -- hit a perfect tee shot, it hit the tree, it went in the rough, got lucky with the second shot, so I feel like that evened itself out, and then held the putt for birdie.

All in all, even though I got pretty unfortunate with the tee shot, it worked out in the end.

Q. Why do you say lucky on the second shot?

RORY McILROY: Got a big bounce off the hill on the right. I hit it maybe seven yards right of where I wanted to and then it got a big kick off the hill and got it onto the green.

Q. Right after the ace you almost holed the bunker shot on nine.

RORY McILROY: Yeah.

Q. You had a little bit of everything going on.

RORY McILROY: I did. Hole in ones and great shots, and I also made five bogeys, which was the sloppy bit of the day.

I feel like I didn't -- I don't even know if I made five bogeys during the whole U.S. Open last week. I just need to -- I think I did, but I just need to tidy that up.

Making five birdies and an eagle out there would be good enough to be in the Top 5. I just need to cut out the mistakes.

Q. You had a hole in one on the European Tour in 2015.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, so I had one in Abu Dhabi, I've had one here. They're the only two I've had in competition as a pro. I've had a ton in practice and casual rounds.

Yeah, that's the only two.

Q. One broader question. Can you pinpoint one lesson on the golf course that you bring to your day-to-day life?

RORY McILROY: The golf course in general?

Q. Yeah. Any lesson from your experiences playing golf that you bring to your day-to-day life?

RORY McILROY: I think take the good with the bad. I think that's something I do a pretty good job with. I think at the end of the day it all evens out. You got your good breaks and you get your bad breaks, and if you have a good attitude towards both of those, I think it all evens out in the end.

Q. What did you do with the ball?

RORY McILROY: Threw it away.

Q. You did?

RORY McILROY: I'm not sentimental. I don't care. I'd rather have trophies than golf balls.

Fastscripts by ASAP Sports...