ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL

March 8, 2024

Rory McIlroy

Bay Hill Club and Lodge

Quick Quotes

Q. Was the putting an immediate effect of the work with Brad last night, and what did you guys work on?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think so. I don't know what the stats look like, but definitely felt a little better out there. Didn't work on much. I mean, speed, I felt my speed was just a bit off more than anything. The greens look faster than what they are, so just trying to be a little more assertive with my speeds. Then, yeah, worked on a couple little things. I sort of sometimes with the mallet, because it is so much easier to start it on line, you get a little lazy. So, I brought the blade out last night just to hit a few putts to sort of get a feel of what I need to do to get the ball to the start on line with a real putter (laughing). Yeah, so worked a little bit on that. A little bit of sort of transition work from sort of back swing to through swing in the stroke. Yeah, it felt much better today.

Q. What are you looking for when you're doing that?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, just starting the ball on line and just a good strike. Sometimes I can let the putter rise up a little bit too much on the way through, and then I can catch the ball sort of more on the equator, rather than like more of a level. Like, when I strike a good putt, it almost feels like the ball comes out of the top of the face instead of the middle of the face. So, yeah, focused a little bit on strike, a little bit on just that sort of transition. Yeah, felt better.

Q. What's easier to fix if something gets out of sorts, full swing or a putting stroke?

RORY McILROY: I've always, one is a lot shorter, but I always felt the full swing, because with a full shot you've got much more margin for error. You can push it a little bit, pull it a little bit, and you're always going to be okay. But you start pushing, pulling putts, it's not going to go in the hole.

Q. Is there any checklist that you fall back on, on the putting green?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, a little bit. Again, just keeping my right arm in position. It's all sort of right-sided stuff. Feel like my right shoulder sort of goes down in transition, sort of from back to through. Like, when it gets to the top of the back stroke, like my right shoulder feels like it goes down, which then keeps the putter low through impact. So, just a couple little things.

Q. But you putted well in the desert.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I did. I putted decent. Missed a couple of short ones that first week, but putted better the second week. I think, as well, going over to the West Coast for a couple of events can always, putting on that poa can, once you lose a touch of confidence, then you can start to, yeah, just start to not feel great with the putter. But as I said, it felt much better today.

Q. Will you go out again and putt some more?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I'm sure I will.

Q. Has putting been the main difference between the results from Dubai and the last three or four weeks?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think I've led the field in strokes gained off the tee at Riv and at the Honda. Probably not too far away again this week. So, ball striking-wise, I feel really good. I feel like it's in -- yeah, thankfully that's no issue. Yeah, it's just about just making a few more putts, and today I did that.

Q. When is the last time that Fax has been at the tournament and you've been able to have him come right out and work with you?

RORY McILROY: He was at Riv. He was at the Honda. He wasn't at Pebble, but we worked a little bit before that, before I headed over to the West Coast. I've seen him a little bit this year.

Q. Where were you on the whole idea of having a cut for these events, the legacy signature events? Were you good with the idea or would you prefer not?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I was indifferent. I think, when all these signature events were thought of, we were thinking no cut, but if it's important enough, or if it's that important to Tiger and Jack and if Arnold were alive, if it was important enough for him, then it's their tournament, at the end of the day, and they can do whatever they want. I could have went either way, but if it's important enough to those guys, then we'll have a cut.

Q. Would you have preferred more players? There's only 69 in this one, the way it worked out. Do they maybe need to look at that?

RORY McILROY: No, I mean, I'm all for making it more cut throat, more competitive. Probably won't be very popular for saying this, but I'm all for less players and less TOUR cards, and the best of the best.

Q. In other words, cut throat to get into these?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, yeah.