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May 10, 2012
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA
Q. Phil was just saying he was impressed your up‑and‑down on 12. Can you take us through that?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I was just trying to sort of imagine how he would play it. So actually I had a couple loose shots out there today, just sort of flop shots that you had land on the green. One on the 8th hole where I missed it left and I had a very tricky chip. And then on 12, I managed to get that one up‑and‑down and that was nice.
Yeah, it was tricky enough out there. The greens were firm. The wind was sort of all over the place and made scoring pretty difficult this afternoon I felt.
Q. Getting up‑and‑down here, it seems like it's more difficult than most places, because of these awkward situations that Dye creates. Is it like that?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, for sure. All of these little grassy humps and hollows, you would much prefer them to be bunkers to be honest. But yeah, you get into one of those and it's deep grass and the ball sits down, and it makes it very difficult.
Q. You looked like you turned to your caddie after your second tee shot on 17 and went, really?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, the first one I hit normal. Thought it was a normal sand wedge. The second one I hit a little harder and it went, I don't know, 15 or 20 yards longer than the first one. So just one of those things. You know, hopefully I can get out there tomorrow and get those couple of shots back straightaway.
Q. Is this a golf course that it can get away from you if you're not concentrating over every shot?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it is. The slightest lapse can cost you a couple of shots like it did to me on 17.
Q. Phil Mickelson was quite impressed with your short game overall. You don't have to impress anyone. Does it mean anything that a player with the short game caliber that he has is impressed?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it's nice. Steve and Phil both hit it in close on 4 and I was walking up to the green with Phil and I said, well, if nothing else, at least I get a wedge play lesson today. They are two of the best wedge players on TOUR.
But yeah, coming from a guy that has such a great short game, that gives me‑‑ it's a nice compliment for sure.
Q. How long was the shot on 12? Sorry to keep going on about this.
RORY McILROY: It was no longer than 12 yards maybe. But I just had to really land it soft on the green and let it trickle down to the hole.
Q. How does this place suit your eye?
RORY McILROY: It doesn't. It's very tricky. I find it very tricky. I really have to think about what I'm hitting off the tee. Second shots and stuff are fine, it's just tee shots for me that I struggle with. It's only a few tee shots. Most of them are okay.
Q. Hardest?
RORY McILROY:  15. The overhanging branches, I just find it pretty‑‑ I felt more comfortable on tee shots before, put it that way.
Q. Is it one of those days, trying to get through and minimize the damage and get a decent score?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, exactly. I thought if I could shoot something around 70, 69, it would be a good score and I was on track to do that coming up 17. Just a pity to give those couple of shots back. But it's nothing that a few birdies on the front nine tomorrow can't fix.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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