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DUBAI DESERT CLASSICJanuary 31, 2009Rory McIlroyDUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Q. The 18th looked like a perfectly-played hole. Tell us about it from your point of view. RORY McILROY: Well, they were quite good to us to move the tee up a little bit, and I was able to swing one around the corner. I had only 200 yards to the pin, which was nice, and hit a nice little 6-iron in there. Yeah, I hit it to 25 feet past the pin, and it was a bonus to hole the putt. Q. 68 feel like what you deserved today? RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think so. I missed a couple of putts on the back nine. I gave myself a few chances, but I think all in all, it was probably a fair reflection of how I played. Q. Your playing partner, Mark O'Meara, said yesterday that at 19 years of age, you're a better player than Tiger; essentially you swing the club better. How does that make you feel? RORY McILROY: High expectations to live up to. It's obviously a huge compliment, probably the highest compliment I could be paid. But just to be compared to Tiger is mind blowing. I just want to try to keep getting better and concentrate on this week and take one week at a time. You know, if I can just keep doing what I'm doing, playing well, hopefully a few years down the line I might be able to compete with him. But I'm just concentrating on my own game and see where that takes me. Q. What about four hours now before you play again, what will you do? RORY McILROY: I'll just go and rest. I'll have a little bit of lunch. I lost a couple of drives to the left earlier on this morning, so I'll probably work on that on the range for a little bit. You know, just sort of try and conserve energy, because it's going to be probably nine holes this afternoon and then an early start again tomorrow morning. So just going to conserve as much energy as possible and give myself the best chance going into the weekend. Q. And after we chatted on the helipad at the Burj Al Arab on Monday, you shot off into the desert; what were you up to there? RORY McILROY: I just did a little photo shoot for my sponsors, Jumeirah, in Bab Al Shams, one of their hotels in the desert. I was on a couple of camels. It was good fun. I had never been out there before, and it was sort of a taste of the old Dubai, instead of all the skyscrapers. It was just one hotel out in the middle of the desert. It was very peaceful and very calm. I enjoyed my time there. Q. Take us through the last. RORY McILROY: Yeah, I hit a perfect tee shot. I'm hitting that little draw pretty well at the minute, so I just hit it perfect. I only left myself 197 yards to the pin, which is unusual on that last hole. But I hit a great shot in and was probably playing a little safe, trying to hit it just pin the pin. It was a huge bonus to hole the putt for eagle. Q. Only the halfway stage, but must be good to see the name still at the top there. RORY McILROY: Yeah, I knew that putt was to have the lead after two rounds, and it's nice, I led after the first day and after today, if I can just keep that going, it will be very nice. Q. And yet yesterday must have been so frustrating, because you came back for three holes and it didn't work to your favour. RORY McILROY: I t was definitely the latest tee time I'd ever had. I would rather play at 5.10 in the morning than 5.10 in the evening. I came to the golf course at 12.00 and found out what time I was going to tee off at, so went straight back to the hotel and had lunch down there. As I said I was just trying to conserve energy. It's going to be a long week with early starts. Yeah, it was nice to get out there early this morning. We were quite fortunate because I've had good greens both the times I've played. Some of the guys have had to play both afternoons. Stenson and Richard Green have shot very good scores out there in the afternoon. So I probably have nine holes this afternoon and come back to play my usual morning tee time, so it will be nice. Q. You are getting to know these greens pretty well; you're an old hand, aren't you. RORY McILROY: Yeah, a veteran. It's great to be back. It is the fourth time. It's great coming back to venues that you know and where you have a lot of nice memories. Obviously the more I'll be on Tour, the more I'll be able to do that. It is nice. Q. Is it still special, bearing in mind this is where you had your European Tour debut effectively and your link with Jumeirah, as well? RORY McILROY: It is. This has become my second home in a way. I've got a lot of friends out here and it's nice to have my mom and dad out, as well. They are enjoying their time here. Definitely the connection with Jumeirah is great and they look after us very well. It's a place I really enjoy coming to. Q. Does it mean the onus is on to you perform, as well? RORY McILROY: Yeah, no pressure. As I say, I really enjoy this course and I'm getting to know it pretty well. I know where to hit it, where to miss it, where not to miss it. You know, I've got a good bit of knowledge of it and hopefully that will work to my advantage over the next two rounds. End of FastScripts |
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