THE 151ST OPEN

July 23, 2023

Rory McIlroy

Mixed Zone

Q. Looking like a top 5 finish here. How would you reflect on this year's Open Championship?

RORY MCILROY: Solid performance. Improved on my score every day. Yeah, I missed a few putts yesterday. Felt like I putted a bit better today. It was just hard. I needed to go out and shoot something 63, 64-ish, but really hard to do that in those conditions.

I got off to a really good start but it's just hard to keep that going, as you can see from the leaderboard no one is really going that low.

Just tricky conditions out there, and very reluctant to hit the driver because the club face gets wet and the ball could go anywhere. Sort of had to lay back off tees and try to play as conservatively and as smart as possible.

Yeah, overall solid performance, not spectacular, but a lot of optimism going into the rest of the year.

Q. I think this is seven out of the last eight over the last two years where you've been there or thereabouts. Does that accumulate to being a bit frustrating but gives you a plat form to be a winner hopefully in the near future?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I think a little bit of both. Over the last two years would I have loved to have picked one of those off that I finished up there? Absolutely.

But every time I tee it up or most times I tee it up, I'm right there. I can't sit here and be too frustrated. My game is in a -- you think about my performances in the majors between like 2016 and 2019, it's a lot better than that.

Again, I'm optimistic about the future, and just got to keep plugging away.

Q. You're going into your tenth year now without a major. Is that just what negative people like me think or do you not think that way?

RORY MCILROY: I don't think that way. I think about trying to go and win a fourth FedExCup here in a couple weeks' time, go try and win a fifth Race to Dubai, go and win a fifth Ryder Cup. I just keep looking forward.

Q. How do you think life will change for Brian as an Open Champion?

RORY MCILROY: If Brian were to win, which it looks like he's going to, I don't think it'll change that much for him. He likes to go hunt in the wintertime and likes his off-season. If I know Brian like I think I do, I don't think it's going to change him as a person.

There might be a few more demands on his time, but apart from that, I think it'll be pretty much the same.