|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPJanuary 18, 2014Rory McIlroyABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Q. Tell us what happened? RORY McILROY: Hit my second shot on the second hole just into the left rough but it was in the spectator crosswalk, so I took a drop, which obviously you're allowed to do out of it and played my shot. I didn't notice it; my left foot was still on the white line as I played the shot and need to take full relief‑‑ if I had of noticed, I actually dropped it in a really bad lie, so actually had I known‑‑ I didn't even know my foot was on the line, and then we went out to see it again there and see where my divot was and it was clear that I couldn't have played the shot with my feet anywhere else. Yeah, I mean, I guess I was just so much into the shot that I didn't even realize. So, yeah, it was unfortunate, and that's the rules of this game. Q. Just clarify for us, Dave Renwick, the caddie of Ricardo Gonzalez, was the first to identify you on 18 green. RORY McILROY: Yeah, he just said to me, look, I think you need to call a rules official, because I think you were standing on the line or inside the line at the second hole. I was like, okay, yeah, fine, no problem, I don't want to sign an incorrect scorecard. So got the rules guys to come, and they couldn't see anything on video, but we went back out there and checked the divot from where I hit the shot, and you know, it was clear that my foot had to be on the line to play the shot. Q. Not the first time you've suffered from the rules here, you've had an issue with sand on the fringe of the green which denied you a victory before; so just how sickening is this? RORY McILROY: I didn't gain‑‑ if anything it was a disadvantage because I dropped it in a bad lie and didn't make birdie. Hit it to like 15 feet and 2‑putted. The thing is, if I had of realized or had I known, that my foot was on the line, I would have said, okay, I need to take full relief. It's a bad lie anyway; drop it again, might get a better one. Yeah, it's disappointing. I don't feel like I gained any sort of advantage by my foot being on a bit of white paint. Q. And JP, the caddie, didn't know the rule or didn't see the foot? RORY McILROY: Didn't see the foot. He was just focused on me playing the shot the same as I was. I guess whenever you're standing over a shot you don't really realize where your feet are. You're just looking at the ball and just trying to play it as best you can. Q. This situation puts you in a little bit of ground to make up tomorrow. Your thoughts on that? RORY McILROY: Yeah, I guess I just have to try to make up those shots as early as possible tomorrow, try to get off to a fast start. I felt like I hung in there well and had a lot of opportunities on the back nine that I didn't take. It was nice to birdie 18. It was all sort of in vain, so I'll need to go out there and get off to a good one tomorrow. Q. You've come awfully close here in the past; do you have a feeling that you can go out despite this and shoot a good score? RORY McILROY: Yeah, I'd like to think so. It gives me a bit of extra motivation; not that winning this tournament isn't motivation enough, but stuff like this, it's sort of stupid.  There's a lot of stupid rules in golf and this is one of them Q. Did you know the rule? RORY McILROY: I know in the hazard that you have to take full relief but with a crosswalk, they tell me it's ground under repair and I know ground under repair is full relief, as well. If I had of just noticed my foot was on the line, I would have re‑dropped it and everything would have been fine. Q. And would you have liked to have been told at the time or explain‑‑ RORY McILROY: No, because if you're told at the time, then you're sort of thinking about it the whole way around, so I guess it's not‑‑ it doesn't really matter, I guess. It's just sort of what it is. I guess if you're told at the time then you have a two‑shot penalty straightaway, it gives you something to sort of try and‑‑ maybe gives you a bit more, something extra to try to make a few more birdies out there just because you know you've lost those two shots. But as I said in the interview there with Tim, I'm just going to try to get off to a fast one tomorrow and make up those shots as quickly as I can. Q. Did you say you thought it was a silly rule? RORY McILROY: I didn't gain any advantage from having my foot in the white paint and I actually dropped it in a worse lie than it was before. Again, if I had of noticed that my left foot was on the line it, would have been different. Q. You said the right thing about Dave Renwick not saying something until the 18th, but do you have any animosity for Dave bringing up the matter? RORY McILROY: No. You have to adhere to the rules of this game and he was pointing out something he thought was questionable. He was just doing what I guess anyone would. Q. How did you play otherwise? Seemed to be pretty good, talking about something more positive, you're going to be in the final group in your first tournament of the year which is a marked improvement from leaving early last year? RORY McILROY: Yeah, I played well, 17 greens. Only missed one which was the first green, got it up‑and‑down, no bogeys. Yeah, I had a lot of chances on the back nine. Just didn't take any of them. Had a few wedges on the back nine and just didn't get close enough. I was really happy to birdie 18, and I thought that was to get into the last group, obviously not, but overall it was a good, solid round of golf, felt like it could have been a bit lower. But I played well. And I just know that I'll need to go out there and shoot something a bit lower tomorrow to have a chance. Q. I was just wondering if somebody like you or some of the top players, you do you keep referring to The Rules of Golf and keep updating yourself what's new coming up or just refresh your memories of The Rules of Golf? RORY McILROY: No, I guess that's why we've got the referees here. They sort of do that stuff. I've got better things to think about. Q. I know you mentioned already that you're going to use this perhaps as added motivation. Just wonder if you try to go back to the hotel tonight and clear your mind or do you come out tomorrow fired up with a point to prove? RORY McILROY: I'm going to go and hit the gym so hard in about half an hour. I'm just going to go and run myself into the ground and try to get out some frustration. Yeah, I'll come out with a bit of added, extra motivation. I'll probably go to the gym, get some room service and knock myself away for the night and come out ready for tomorrow. Q. Can we ask what the rule is? JOHN PARAMOR: 25‑1. STEVE TODD: Rory, thanks for joining us, appreciate it. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|