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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 16, 2009

Rory McIlroy

CHASKA, MINNESOTA

RORY McILROY: I started off, first hole has not been kind to me this week. I've had three bogeys and I didn't get off to the best start. But after that I just played really good golf. I missed a couple of chances on the way in, but you know, I got a couple of really good up-and-downs on 17 and 18 which got me where I was. You know, for the last major of the year, I feel as if I've put in a really strong finish, and you know, I'm really pleased with myself.

Q. Your best results in a major so far, how does that sound?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it's great. I finished 10th in the U.S. Open but looks like I'll be finishing Top-5 here. I would have taken that the start of the week. I had a couple of chances to be even a couple shots better, and I'm really pleased with myself and a nice way to go into a two-week break.

Q. What have you learned about yourself today?
RORY McILROY: I've been very patient. I didn't get flustered when I made a 6 at the first. I knew that I had a few chances on the front 9- to get it back, and I had four birdies after that on the front nine to turn at 2-under and the back nine was playing very tough today. To shoot level par on that back nine with this wind, I felt was a really good effort.

Q. Do you feel you can improve on these results in the majors next year?
RORY McILROY: I hope so. This is my first year in the majors, all four of them. My results have been pretty good. I finished 20th at the Masters, I was disappointed at the British only finishing 46th, but the other two have been really good. So I'm looking to build on these results next year and hopefully try to do a bit better.
I played a great round of golf today considering that I started with a double-bogey. You know, I turned in 2-under par which I thought was a really good effort, and I had my chances on the back nine. But I finished the day with two really did up-and-downs on 17 and 18, so I really am pleased with the way I finished.

Q. After starting with double-bogey, how do you maintain your patience on the golf course?
RORY McILROY: I knew that 2 and 3 were birdie holes, and then I've played that stretch of holes really well this week. I've played 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, I've played very well and I was able to squeeze a couple more birdies out of them today which got myself back into contention.
You know, I said to JP, my caddie, after the first hole, I was in contention in the South African Open at the end of last year and I started double, double and shot 6-under from there on in to finish third. So I said to him, "Let's try and do the same as what we did in South Africa."

Q. What a bizarre day. Have you been aware of the other happenings on the golf course, Padraig making an 8 on a par 3, Yang chips in for eagle to take the lead.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I was watching the leaderboard and seemed to be quite interesting. It should be an exciting finish.

Q. You must be just deeply satisfied.
RORY McILROY: I think coming into this week, I didn't have my best form or my best game with me, and to finish tied third at the minute, but hopefully finish in the top 5 today, it's a great result for me for the last major of the year and yeah, I'm just very satisfied with the way I've played all week.

Q. The double bogey at the first that, wakes you up, doesn't it.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it does.

Q. Then three birdies in a row?
RORY McILROY: It was weird. I bogeyed the first hole all three days before today and then my aim was just to make a par, and I hit a great drive off the tee and missed the green right being a little bit defensive, and then I hit a poor chip and 3-putted so, it wasn't the best way to start.
I just stayed patient and I knew I had chances out there. You know, I was able to pick up a few birdies on the front nine and turn at 2-under par which was huge and then I was able to hang onto back nine because it was very difficult with the cross-winds. I felt a 70 out there, I was 4-under for the last 17 holes, which I thought was very good.

Q. 17 birdies on a major and a course that's playing very difficult; that's hugely, hugely impressive.
RORY McILROY: Yes, it is, considering I only made five birdies last week at Akron, so it's been a bit of a difference. But yeah, I like the greens out here this week, and I felt as if I could do well on this golf course. It's a big, long golf course which usually suits me and I felt comfortable on it since the day we got here, so it's been a great week for me and I'm looking forward to getting home and I have a couple weeks off and reflect on the four majors that are played this year and I feel very pleased the way I played them.

Q. Now it's a case of pushing on, four majors, three of them Top 20s, two of them Top-10, one Top-5, you have an awful lot to build on.
RORY McILROY: I have a lot to build on. I have a lot of momentum going into the majors next year. This is only my first year in the majors, so I learned a few things on my way this year, and that should help me next year to build on them and hopefully get in a couple better finishes than just the Top-10 or Top-5.

Q. Is deep satisfaction just the right way of putting it?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I've sort of hung in there really well this week, and took my chances when they presented themselves and made a couple of really good up-and-downs when I've needed to. So it's been a great week.

End of FastScripts

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