GENESIS SCOTTISH OPEN

July 14, 2024

Rory McIlroy

The Renaissance Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Final round 68 for a total of 14-under. Reflect on your week for a whole for us?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, got a shot worse every day. 65, 66, 67, 68.

Yeah, I mean, it was good. Felt like I was hitting good putts over the weekend, and definitely greens got a lot slower when that rain came in yesterday, and then I couldn't really get a handle on them today. I was leaving a lot of putts short, and when they do get that slow, I actually find it a little trickier to read them.

So I had a lot of chances that I wasn't able to convert, and that was sort of the story of the week. Felt like the ball-striking was there pretty much every day. There was a few scrappy bits here and there but overall, it was a good week to see where my game is heading into next week, especially after the back of three weeks off. You know, overall, pleased with the week with one eye on trying to defend here but obviously with an eye on trying to get prepared for Troon as well.

Q. How would you assess your game going into next week's Open Championship?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, it's good. I haven't played links golf since Hoylake last year, so it was good to get back on a links course for the first time. Got to play in a little bit of wind today. It's still not much but a little more than we had. Yeah, just getting acclimatised to the shots that you need, and maybe I don't think the speeds of the greens are going to be too dissimilar next week, as well. So just trying to adjust to that.

Overall, I feel like my game is in really good shape heading into the final major of the year.

Q. How would you characterise the week?

RORY McILROY: A solid week. I felt like I left a lot of shots out there over the course of four days but off the back of three weeks off, I guess to be expected. The reason that I like to play the week before the majors is to knock a little bit of rust off and try to get sharp, and I feel like I've done that this week. It would have been nice to be at the business end of the tournament and really contend.

Felt like I was on the fringes of contention most of the week but still had a solid week where I feel like my ball-striking is in a good spot and getting adjusted to shots I need around the greens, and then obviously the green speeds I've struggled with the last couple days. Tried to get a handle on that as well.

Q. Three days to get ready for Royal Troon. What will the focus be?

RORY McILROY: So I think refamiliarising myself with the golf course. I played it eight years ago and remember it pretty well. I think just getting a good strategy on what I'm going to do off the tees, and then it's in and around the greens. It's the shots that you need around the greens. You know, the bunkers at Troon are very penal. Trying to employ a strategy where you can navigate your way around them, and then as I said, my ball-striking is there.

So if I can get the putter to cooperate and get the speed of the greens down, more so than hitting my lines, I feel like I'm hitting my lines but more so getting the speed of the greens, I feel like I'll be in a really good spot.