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OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

February 12, 2011

Rory McIlroy

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Q. Today got off to a horrible start what, was going on?
RORY McILROY: Don't know. It was just a lot different the way we played the course the first to days. And yeah, just got off to a rough start but I thought I steadied the ship really well, 4-over through seven after the rounds and to finish -- play the last 12, 11 holes in 1-under was actually a pretty good effort.

Q. When you were 4-over, what were you and JP saying to each other?
RORY McILROY: I've played the back nine well all week. I usually do. So I was just trying to stay as patient as possible. Couldn't really try and force. It just needed to play smart and try not to make any bogeys. Really just limit the damage.

Q. Patience that you showed today, is that an indication of how much you matured since you led here two years ago?
RORY McILROY: I think so. There's been a few rounds that I let get away from me, the second round at The Open last year, being a prime example, and I didn't let that happen today, which was a positive sign.
And I'm still, you know, in the lead, tied for the lead, but it was a day where if I had got off to a little bit of a better start and maybe played a little better, could I have habit of an advantage. But I'm still in there with a great chance. It's just very bunched at the minute and now a lot of guys have a chance to win.

Q. How do you approach tomorrow in that there are a lot of guys there that could take this title?
RORY McILROY: I just have to be positive and say I'm one shot better or two shots better than a lot of the guys. I just have to look at it that way. Depending on what the conditions are like tomorrow, I think if it's like it was today, it's just a test of patience and trying to really play smart golf and make pars and make the odd birdie when you can get it.

Q. Tough start this morning, this morning, three bogeys in a row, but you kept patient and fought your way through. How was playing today?
RORY McILROY: It was tough. It was a challenge. I felt as if I held on to the round pretty well. I was 4-over through seven for the round and finished 3-over, so to play the last 11 holes in 1-under par was a pretty good effort.
So I was happy with that and I'm still tied for the lead going into tomorrow.

Q. The field is very tight looking at the leaderboard; and conditions will be similar tomorrow?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think the biggest thing is just to get off to a better start and just try and string a few pars together early on and if the weather is the same as it is today -- yeah, there's going to be a lot of guys out there. It's obviously been difficult for everyone.
The scoring has not been very good this afternoon, and I feel as if I could have shot a lot better out there and hopefully I can do that tomorrow.

Q. Tough day today. Still got a share of the lead. How do you assess it overall?
RORY McILROY: It was okay. I mean, I think the last 11 holes, I did really well. And even the last 12, because I got up-and-down from 110 yards for a bogey on 7. So I thought I actually hung on to the round pretty well. It was just the start that really killed me. But as you said, I've still got a share of the lead and it's nice to have -- it's nice to have a share of the lead going into the last round.

Q. What was the story with the start of the round? I know you dropped three in your first three, but reason for it?
RORY McILROY: It's just so tricky. I mean, it's so hard, as well, when you have not played in conditions like that, just to go out and play the same way you have.
I hit a bad drive on the first but got away with it and hit a really good second shot just to the back of the green and had a bit of a nasty lie there, and just didn't get all of the ball and made bogey.
Hit a decent drive on 2 and it goes into the waste area, and hit a really good 7-iron on 3 and I think it's going to be on the green and it comes up in a terrible lie in the bunker.
So it was just one of those days where not much went for me, but hopefully that will change tomorrow.

Q. Is the important part about it, as well, to know looking at the leaderboards, everyone was having a tough day and you just have to hold firm and stay strong?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, looking at the guys who teed off this afternoon, Anders shot 1-under, but apart from that everyone was over par. It gives me encouragement knowing it was tough on everyone out there.

Q. Playing three rounds of golf, it's just turned into a one-round tournament, it's so tight?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it is. I wish I had played a little better today and given myself a bit more of an advantage. But yeah, basically there's three of us on 8-under. I think there's seven or eight guys on seven and a few on six.
So, yeah, it depends really who gets off to a good start tomorrow and really has an advantage going into the back nine.

Q. Toughest conditions you've ever played in here?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think the shamals in 2008, was it; they were tough, as well. But it was the wind direction more than anything else, like the first hole straight off the left and you're trying to draw and it's just so tough.
Yeah, like even 13, the par 5, you're trying to hit it around the corner and if the wind is just pushing it away from the fairway the whole time. There's a few pin positions, like 15 and 16, the wind is howling off the right and the pins are on the right side of the green. It's just very tough to get to them and you just have to stay really patient and just take your pars.
I was very happy with my last 12 holes basically with getting up-and-down for bogey on 7 and playing the last 11, and 1-under par, I thought that was a really good effort.

End of FastScripts

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