AMGEN IRISH OPEN

September 14, 2024

Rory McIlroy

Royal County Down GC

Quick Quotes (2)

Q. Obviously not the way you want the event to conclude but I presume overall your happy?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I'm very happy. I would have taken that score before going out today. Conditions were very, very difficult. I thought I did well. After the really good start, just hanging in there and making as many pars as I could, picking up a birdie here and there, those are sort of bonuses.

Yeah, overall, another very steady, solid day, and I've given myself a good chance tomorrow.

Q. What would it mean to finish the job off here at Royal County Down?

RORY McILROY: It would be great. I talked about it at the start of the week. You know, after the sort of year that I've had and the close misses, it wouldn't make up for all of it, but it would go a long way in putting a nice shine on 2024.

I can't get that far ahead of myself. I need to go out and play another very solid round tomorrow to try to get the job done. But I'm pleased with the first three days.

Q. Notwithstanding what happened on 18, it was an extraordinary controlled round. You must be proud of how you played.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, a lot of tee shots in the fairway, a lot of shots on to the green, and thought it was very difficult to get the ball close today.

So I kept leaving myself 30, 40 feet, a lot of good two-putts, a lot of really good sort of 3- and 4-footers coming back that are really tricky in conditions like this.

Yeah, very pleased with how I played today and I'm going to need to play like that again tomorrow to try to finish it up.

Q. How does it compare to Troon?

RORY McILROY: I think this golf course just sort of suits my eye a little bit better and I know where the misses are and I know I can manage myself, I feel like I can manage myself around here better than at Troon just because I don't know the place as well and some of the shots maybe didn't really fit my I've as well as they do here.

Yeah, that's really it. I don't believe like I'm swinging it any better. Just one of those weeks where I'm managing the misses a bit better.

Q. 13, as well?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, that was a good bonus. I would say the 2 on 7 was probably for me the best. That little 8-iron I hit into 7 was like the best shot of the day, and then the best hole.

Q. Being in the worst of the weather, are you now the king of bad weather golf?

RORY McILROY: I don't mind the wind. I've proven that I can play in the wind and win in the wind in Scotland last year and a few other places.

But when it's like this and the rain starts is when it becomes somewhat less enjoyable. If it stays dry like this, I'm happy.

Q. Tomorrow better forecast?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, which will be good. It will make for an exciting day and people will be able to make some more birdies. Par.

Q. Great crowds, as well?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, it's a pleasure to play in front of everyone from home and getting cheered on on every hole. It is, it's really nice and hopefully I can keep giving them something to cheer about tomorrow.

Q. What will you do tonight?

RORY McILROY: Nothing. Head home. Early night and get ready for tomorrow.

Q. The challenges today --

RORY McILROY: Today was hard because there's so many bunkers in your landing area off the tee. If you do hit a good tee shot away, the second shots, especially where that pin was in the back right today, that's probably the toughest hole location on the hole.

I just think everything sort of conspired for it to play as tough as it could play today.