BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

August 19, 2023

Rory McIlroy

Olympia Fields Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. What are your takeaways from today's round?

RORY McILROY: Got off to a great start, holed some nice putts early, sort of stalled in the middle of the round. Had those two bogeys at 9 and 10. Then I felt like I played really good coming in. Basically gave myself a great up-and-down on 14, and then gave myself four great chances on the last four holes and only converted one of them.

A little disappointing there. Felt like I could have been a couple closer to the lead. But overall happy with how I played today compared to yesterday.

Q. On 10, that three-putt there, did you misread the first one --

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I misread the first one, but the second one was three feet maybe. I didn't feel like there was a whole lot of movement in it. I just hit it basically straight at the back of the hole, and it moved right pretty quick on me.

The greens are pretty good. They're just getting a little choppy with how soft they are, and for bent greens there's actually quite a lot of grain in them, and then the grain is sort of growing with the slope, and it sometimes exaggerates what you're seeing out there.

Yeah, most of the putts that I missed today, I missed low, and I think for that reason.

Q. Is this the toughest it's played -- it seems like with this wind it was the toughest out there.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think so. Tricky wind, tricky direction. Yeah, it makes the long holes play a little longer.

It's still -- the ball isn't really going anywhere when it hits the ground, so obviously with some of the scores that have been shot, you can see it's still pretty playable.

Q. Did it affect the putting? We saw Max Homa miss one from shorter than yours.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think it's a combination of wind and greens are getting a little choppy, and they just sometimes do some funny things.

I'm not surprised that guys are missing a few short ones out there.

Q. Tomorrow you're obviously trying to win but also maintain or have a good position heading into the TOUR Championship. How do you approach that final round tomorrow? Are you out to win?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, of course. I'm just out to try to win a golf tournament.

Q. Does that change your strategy at all?

RORY McILROY: Not particularly. I want to go out and shoot the best score that I can, and if that gets me a win, then that's great. If not -- look, tomorrow if I go out, try to shoot the best score I can, try to win the golf tournament, even if I don't win, I'm still going to be in a great spot going into East Lake.

But yeah, the higher up you are on that board going into East Lake, the better chance you have.

But yeah, tomorrow my focus is trying to go out here and win this golf tournament.

Q. With your putting, how close are you to where you want to be right now with that putter?

RORY McILROY: I holed a nice putt on 3, a nice putt on 4, nice putt on 5, nice putt on 6, good putt on 8 for par, good putt on -- I missed a couple, but I also holed a few out there, as well.

There again, it's just the consistency of it. Those putts like on 10 or the missed putts coming down the last few holes here, I know when I'm putting well, I should hole those and I'm not. It's a little frustrating.

I feel like the rest of my game is in good enough shape to make up for it, but I'd love to have a full 18 holes where I feel with the putter like I felt for like the first six.