Q. Rory, amazing atmosphere out there today, which you seemed to be really enjoying. How was that for you?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it was incredible. It was so much fun. I got off to the perfect start, 3-under through 4. Felt like at the end of the front nine there, at least through 11, the par on 7 felt like a bogey, and then the bogey on 11.
Then to play those last seven holes at 3-under I thought was a good effort. Yeah, I played well. I rode my luck at times, but yeah, it was an incredible atmosphere out there. I feel like I’ve at least given myself half a chance tomorrow.
Q. Can you talk us through some of the soap opera events out there, not just the fast start, but what happened on 11? Then the incredible response with the 56-foot eagle putt on 12 and then the birdie on 15, which was a tap-in.
RORY McILROY: Obviously a great start, sort of like the dream start to be able to be 3-under through 4 and have 5 and 7 to play. To not birdie those was a little disappointing.
Yeah, what happened on 11 was just so — my ball came out so strange, like I thought I was going to get a flier, and I looked up at my ball, and I could see it spinning up against the wind. Just a really weird — I had obviously no idea there was a ball anywhere close to my ball.
I could have done better with the chip shot there anyway. That was the bogey — I mean, making bogey on 11 is not the end of the world. It’s a tough hole. Yeah, the eagle on 12 was one of the coolest moments of — it’s one of the largest roars I’ve ever heard on a golf course. So that was a really cool moment. To get those shots back straight away was nice, and I felt like I played the last few holes really solid and picked one up coming in, which was good.
Q. What’s your plan between now and your tee time tomorrow?
RORY McILROY: Grab some dinner, try to sleep as much as I can. Don’t have any rugby to distract me tomorrow morning. Watched New Zealand-France and the Lions game.
I’ll try to find something to watch. I started “Oppenheimer” last night. Try to get through another hour of it tonight and maybe finish it tomorrow morning. Apart from that, just keep my mind off of things. I always do better with distraction. So if I can just distract myself and get my mind on something else, that’s always a good plan for me.
Q. What are your thoughts on how Scottie is doing to this point?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, he’s playing like Scottie. I don’t think it’s a surprise. Everyone’s seen the way he’s played or plays over the last two or three years. He’s just so solid. He doesn’t make mistakes. It looked like he could have made bogey on 14 there.
He’s turned himself into a really consistent putter as well. So there doesn’t seem to be any weakness there. Whenever you’re trying to chase down a guy like that, it’s hard to do. But he’s incredibly impressive.
Q. You seemed to be open-mouthed in amazement after what happened on 11. Is that one of the strangest things you’ve ever experienced on a golf course?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it’s never happened to me before. It could never happen on any other course but a links course as well. When the rough is all matted down and the balls get — it was very strange.
Q. You told us how much you were looking forward to playing Portrush in an Open Championship. As we look at your highlight here at the 12th, describe it.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, absolutely the atmosphere has been electric all day. Obviously the start was nice, birdieing three of the first four. Just an absolute pleasure to play in front of my home crowd, my fans, and yeah, I’ve really obviously tried my best. I try my best every week, but really just trying to hang in there and stay in it. Obviously some other players are obviously a few shots in front, but I played well enough today to at least feel like I have a chance tomorrow.
Q. You’ve won 16 times on the PGA TOUR coming from behind, including coming from six back. Give us your thoughts on tomorrow and the challenge you’re facing?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, look, Scottie Scheffler is — it’s inevitable. Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he’s become a (indiscernible) player. He’s improved so much with his putter. Yeah, it’s going to be tough to catch him tomorrow if he keeps playing the way he does. But if I can get out tomorrow and get off to a similar start to what I did today, get the crowd going, hopefully he tails out a couple groups behind me, and you never know. But I just need to go out and play another really good round of golf tomorrow and see what happens.
Q. The first hole of this golf course has been a nemesis at times, but back-to-back birdies the last two days.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, a bit of a bonus start. Jordan was on a similar line to me, so it was nice to see what his putt today. But yeah, that was a perfect way to start.
Q. Talk about 4.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it was a perfect club, just a full committed 8-iron, and yeah, you want to hit something hard to try to stop it to that front pin. As I said, a dream start being 3-under through 4.
Q. You made the turn in 3-under. What happened on 11?
RORY McILROY: I honestly don’t know. That is the most weird, ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. Then my ball came out really weird and spinny. Yeah, just so strange.
Q. Were you sure that the other ball that popped up wasn’t yours?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, yeah, I knew it wasn’t. But it was just so weird.
Q. Heck of a bounce back from the bogey. Talk about 12.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, this could be one of the coolest moments I’ve ever had on the golf course. The roar when this ball was in was insane. It was insane all day, but the noise after that putt went in was incredible.
Q. How different is the experience here this year compared to what it was in 2019?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I’ve come here really just trying to embrace it, and I think as well I’ve come here — if I hadn’t have won a major this year, if I hadn’t have won the Masters, I might have felt differently. But I just came here with — it’s almost a celebration of what I’ve been able to accomplish. I want to celebrate with them too. I’ve just really tried to embrace everything this week. I’m having an incredible time. I’m really enjoying myself, and I feel like I’ve given myself half a chance now, and I’m excited for tomorrow.
Q. You get off to that fantastic start, you seemed to keep the momentum going through the round. What are you most proud of?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think it was that, that I kept the momentum going. My only dropped shot was on 11, and then to bounce back with the eagle on 12 and then the birdie on 15. I know there’s quite a few low scores, but it’s not that easy out there. There’s some really tricky hole locations. Hard to get it super close. I holed a couple of really nice long putts. You’ve just got to pick your spots where you’re aggressive and try to make birdies on those holes, and then there’s some holes that are difficult, and if you make par you’re happy and you move on to the next.
Q. We talked yesterday about what the crowd here, the gallery here, your home nation has been doing for you. Are you drawing energy off that?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I don’t know how you can’t draw energy after that. It’s absolutely incredible to play in front of these fans. I’m just so excited to get one more day to be able to experience it.
Q. I know execution is going to be a big aspect tomorrow for you. You’re chasing a guy who I’m sure you’re thinking is not going to back up. Does that alter strategy for you?
RORY McILROY: I don’t think so. Talking of execution, he’s probably the best in the business right now. The only thing that I can hope for is I get off to the same start that I got off to today, get the crowd really going, and then hopefully he might be able to hear that a couple groups back and maybe feel some pressure. But Scottie is an amazing player. He’s proved over the past two to three years that consistently he’s the best player in the world, and he’s going to be tough to catch tomorrow.
Q. Was that fun today? You certainly seemed to have more fun than the first couple of days.
RORY McILROY: Yeah. That was a lot of fun. There was a few moments on the course, the eagle putt on 12, a couple other long putts, even the putt on 1, some of the loudest roars I’ve ever heard on the golf course.
Incredible to play in front of all those people in that atmosphere, and I’m excited to get one more day of it tomorrow.
Q. There are hordes of Rory McIlroy fans wanting to know what hope have they got of following you on Sunday.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, look, I’ve got more than half a chance. I’ve got a chance. I need to get off to a great start like I did today, and if I can do that, anything can happen. I’ve come from a few shots behind before at big tournaments and was able to win. If I can get off to one of those hot starts again, maybe Scottie feels a little bit of that a couple of groups behind, and you never know. Scottie is the best player in the world right now. I think it’s clear for everyone to see. He’s just consistently so good each and every week he tees it up, so it’s going to be a tall order to be able to catch him tomorrow. But I’m going to look forward to the challenge.
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