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ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPJanuary 28, 2012Rory McIlroyABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Q. How would you assess today? RORY McILROY: I definitely felt today was a lot better than yesterday. I felt like I hit the ball a lot better. I feel that I made a couple of loose swings off the tee and obviously one on the last, and a couple others, but it's getting there. I feel pretty comfortable, and I've been hitting a lot of great iron shots and I feel like the putting has been pretty good. So hopefully I can just keep that going tomorrow and maybe get off to a fast start and put pressure on the guys in front of me. Q. With 18 holes to play, can you steady it? RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think so. I think I only made one bogey today, so that's a lot better than the previous two days. But it would be nice to eliminate the mistakes tomorrow and have a good round. Q. Did you look at the board at all on 18 and realise that when you got a birdie, you would probably be in the final group on Sunday? RORY McILROY: Yeah, of course, I knew I needed a birdie to get into the final group, and it would have been nice. I'll be just in front of the guys and hopefully get off to a good start and put a bit of pressure on them. Q. Yesterday's verdict was the most up‑and‑down round you've played. What about today? RORY McILROY: Today was a lot better. I was able to eliminate the mistakes. I think I only made one bogey, and felt like I drove the ball better. I hit a lot of great iron shots, and I felt like my putting has been pretty good. So I just need to concentrate on trying to get the ball in the fairway and give myself plenty of opportunities and hopefully make a few birdies and put a bit of pressure on the guys in front. Q. Nice moment on the par3 7th, Tiger knocked it to about four feet, and you knocked it to two inches and as you walked off the green, he was giving you some stick and you gave him a shuffle, what was going on there? What was being said? RORY McILROY: I can't remember. I think something about, it's a shame it didn't go in, could have went straight to the clubhouse. But no, it was nice. I hit a couple of really good iron shots like that today, one on 7 and another one on 17. You know, feeling pretty good about that. Q. Four or five holes to go, losing a little bit of ground on the leaders and you needed to make some birdies. What was the key to doing that? RORY McILROY: Just staying patient. I wanted to play the last six holes at 3‑under; I played them in 2. I felt like if I could go down the last nine and try to get pick up a birdie there and get to 10 and go to double figures, but wasn't able to do that off the tee shot, but pretty lucky to get away with a five. I'm looking forward to getting out there tomorrow and trying to make up a couple of shots. Q. Tiger said jokingly, he's glad to get rid of you. What about you, would you rather be playing with him tomorrow? RORY McILROY: Yeah, it's great. I joked with him inside there, I said, "No one will be following me anymore." It's been great, it's been great to play with him the last three days and we played nine holes on Tuesday, as well. Yeah, I don't know, it will be a little bit different. The crowds have been played this week, and obviously Tiger will bring the crowds with him. Maybe I can quietly go along about my business and pick up a few shots ahead of them. Q. How do you approach the last round chasing arguably the best player of his generation? RORY McILROY: Just go out there and do the same thing. I've seen him up close the last three days, how he's playing, and I feel like if I go out there and play my best golf, I've got a good chance. Q. What's your verdict on today? RORY McILROY: Yeah, a lot better, a lot better than yesterday. Didn't make as many mistakes. Eliminated‑‑ I think I had two doubles and two bogeys yesterday. Only had one bogey today which was nice and I made a few birdies. So you know, a lot of positive stuff going into tomorrow. Q. One of those birdies at 17, very tasty, wasn't it, just an appropriate time? RORY McILROY: Yes, it was. I was falling a couple of shots behind there and it was nice to birdie 15 and 17. It would have been nice to birdie the last to get within one going into tomorrow, but hopefully I can get off to a fast start. Q. You'd better talk me through 18 because that was a very, very good par in the end. RORY McILROY: It was, yeah. I got away with a tee shot that I actually was able to have a backswing and some sort of a gap to hit my ball out of the hazard. I knew if I just got it up‑‑ I could release from the sand or TV compound or whatever and I did that. After getting the drop, I dropped into a terrible lie and then I did well to get the wedge pretty close. Tried to hole the putts to get into the last group tomorrow but didn't quite work out. Q. Great playing with Tiger the last three days? RORY McILROY: It has been good. It's a great atmosphere as you can hear and it's a great buzz playing with Tiger. I'll miss the crowds and miss the buzz tomorrow even though I'll be in the second‑to‑last group, so I'll still get a bit of it. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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