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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJune 14, 2013Rory McIlroyARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA Q. (No Microphone.) RORY MCILROY: Yeah again, it was solid. I got off to a good start, birdied the first two holes of my round, which was 11 and 12. And then got through the that stuff stretch with 14 through 18 with only 1‑over. Which is a pretty good effort. And played solid. It felt like every time I made a birdie I made a bogey straight away. Like on 3 and 4 and then 8 and 9. But I played well. It's a course where you sort of feel like you can shoot a score, but where they put the pins and where ‑‑ it's tricky, it's tough, and I'm right there for the weekend and I'm happy about that. Q. Is it fair to say you're asked difficult questions in every department of the game? RORY MCILROY: Yeah, you're hitting 5‑irons off some tees and it's a tough tee shot for a par‑4. It tests every aspect of your game. You got to drive it well. Where these pins are, you got to hit great iron shots, you got to be very tactical. You got to be mentally really well there and have a good game plan and this course tests you. There was people talking about 62s and 63s at the start of the week and, I mean, I never saw that at all. I still think that something very little under par is going to win this week, if, or if not that around even par. Q. First time you played with Tiger in a Major. I saw chatting and that. And usually there's the bantering and the needling and that in a regular event. Was there today? RORY MCILROY: Yeah, of course. It doesn't change that it's a U.S. Open or whatever. We still get on well and there was still a good bit of chatter out this and a good bit of needling every now and again. I said something at the last there I was trying to make that putt so I didn't have to play with you tomorrow. But, no, it's always good fun with them out there. Q. Excellent level par second round has left you very much in contention here at the U.S. Open. Rory, give us your thoughts on what was an excellent afternoon. RORY MCILROY: Yeah, it was good. It was very solid again. I didn't feel like I played much differently than what I played in the first round, I just made a couple of nice putts and played a bit better around that tough stretch from 14 through 18. Very happy with where I'm at and obviously right there going into the weekend. Q. Important to get off to a good start today. RORY MCILROY: It was, yeah. I didn't get off, or I didn't finish very well this morning for the first round, so I wanted to get those shots back straight away and I was able to do that on 11 and 12, starting off with two birdies. And you sort of need to do that. Whenever the course presents an opportunity you sort of have to take it because there's a lot of tough holes out here. Q. Just how tough is it out there, because the scores seem to get higher and higher? RORY MCILROY: Yeah, it's very, it's tough. You don't hit it in the fairway and you're really going to struggle. I only missed two fairways the first day, or first round and I think that I missed four. But that's a high percentage and you need to keep hitting the ball in the fairway. If you hit your ball in the fairway, this course is very playable. Q. What kind of score do you think will win this tournament and what do you need to do to bring the trophy home for a second time? RORY MCILROY: Not so sure. Right now, I'm not sure anyone in our half of the draw has finished under par for two days, so I mean something around even par I think is going to be not far away. I was trying to get back to that even par number today and didn't quite happen, but a 70 is still a good score and gets me right back where I want to be. Q. Playing today with Tiger Woods you seemed to be enjoying it more and more. Some players feel under pressure playing with him. But you seemed to revel in it? RORY MCILROY: Yeah, it's good. I really enjoy it. He's good fun to be around and we get on well. I played well with him in the past and it was nice to be paired with him the last couple of days and it looks like we might get a game tomorrow. Q. Did you give him a bit of stick right there at the end? RORY MCILROY: A little bit. I told him on the last there that I was trying to hole the putt, so I didn't have to play with him again tomorrow. So he's got the pleasure of playing with me. But, no, we had a good laugh out there and just because it's the U.S. Open doesn't mean anything. Q. Finally Graeme and Darren have both missed the cut. Unfortunately, you're flying the flag for Northern Ireland alone. Can you do it again this weekend? RORY MCILROY: I hope so. I feel like I've been playing well. I've been telling everyone for a while that the game is getting there and to get through two rounds of the toughest test at the U.S. Open and play the way I did it's very promising going into the weekend. So it's unfortunate that Darren and G‑Mac aren't here for the weekend to sort of fly the flag with me, but I'll do my best to try to bring that trophy home another time. Q. Did you get a lot of reaction when you tweeted out your pictures of climbing the steps? RORY MCILROY: Yeah, it was good. I got a good reaction. It was, yeah, it was something I wanted to do. I had a bit of free time on Wednesday afternoon and a few people suggested that I had go see them, so yeah, it was good. It was good fun to get a few good photos to take from it and a few nice reactions. Q. Rocky means a lot to the people here. Had you watched the movies and everything? RORY MCILROY: Yeah, yeah, I watched them. I watched all the movies, I probably can't remember all of them, but I watched them all. Yeah, it's a cool, it's obviously a cool, what is it seven or eight? It's a lot. So he, yeah, no, it was cool to go and see. Q. What do you think of the passion of the Philly crowds here? RORY MCILROY: They're passionate. They love their sport here. They're getting a little rowdy out there yesterday afternoon, going to be the same today, but it's great and it creates a great atmosphere and we like to play in front of them. Q. Who won the race up the steps? RORY MCILROY: I just did. I don't know if he let me, but, yeah, I was taking them two at a time. Q. You described it as the toughest test that you guys face. How much are you actually enjoying the challenge of playing Merion? RORY MCILROY: I really like it. You're under pressure from that first tee shot and you got to put your ball in the fairway every hole, you're under pressure there. And when you do, there's some holes that you can take advantage of and there's some holes that you just have to try and make a par and move on. So it's a great test and it's a test that I am enjoying it this week. Q. Good playing with Tiger Woods, Adam Scott as well, of course, the first couple of rounds. Did it help you, do you think? You both shot 70 today which, looking at the scores out there today, probably are going to be the best rounds out there. RORY MCILROY: Yeah, we played well. I think that we both know it's not about, it's just about keeping your ball in play and grinding out pars and we were both able to do that today. So it feels like you can shoot a 66 or a 67 out there, but where these pins are, you know, it's not really possible and then you shoot 70 and you move up a lot of spots. So it's one of these courses where you kind of get frustrated if you're a couple over par because you're not really going to lose too much ground to the field. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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