U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2021

June 20, 2021

Rory McIlroy

Torrey Pines Golf Course

Flash Interview

Q. Rory, just summarize the week for us.

RORY MCILROY: Overall, it's been a positive week. I gave myself a great chance today. Even through ten holes, I was right in the thick of things. It was really two holes that sort of -- yeah, it was two holes that basically stopped the sort of run at the title.

I played well. I felt comfortable with what I was doing out there. I felt like tee to green I was really solid for the first few holes, but once I made those little mistakes on 11 and 12, I felt like I was just chasing a little bit, and then ultimately couldn't really get anything done from there.

But overall it's been a good week. I put up a good fight. I started the round well today. With the three-putt on 11, that sort of stopped the momentum, and then I got a little unlucky on 12 and made double from there. Take those two holes out, the rest of the week was really good.

Q. Rory, from three months ago or so, when you were kind of reevaluating your game, did you think it would take longer to get to this point of contention?

RORY MCILROY: No, I feel like with me it's just subtle tweaks here and there. It sometimes feels further away than it actually is, but as I said, going from walking away Friday night from Augusta to basically being right in the thick of things in the back nine of the U.S. Open, it hasn't felt like it's been a quick turnaround, but I definitely, I keep saying, I'm on the right path. I feel way more comfortable with what I'm doing way out on the course, especially in a situation like this.

You're trying to win a major championship on a Sunday. The way I hit the ball tee to green out there today, I just felt much more comfortable and in control of everything than the previous few times that I've been in this position.

Q. Rory, considering you are incorporating a few new things into your swing, even if they are slight tweaks, can you walk away from here feeling like, you know what, this is a National Championship and know that the things you are working on are actually starting to take?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, definitely. I think the best way to describe it is I think the last few times I've been in this sort of position, I've went out on Sunday hoping to play well, where I feel like now I know what to do to play well and I know I have the tools to play well, and it's just a matter of execution and sticking to what I've been working on.

It was way better today. The score doesn't suggest it. There was two holes that really, as I said, were the end of my title hopes, but apart from that this week, it's been really positive.

Q. Rory, is it getting yourself into contention late into the back nine that you'll think about on the way home tonight, or is it the mistakes?

RORY MCILROY: I think it will be the -- I think the way I hit the ball all week. I'll think a lot about the way I played yesterday and how I hit it tee to green. I think I gained over five strokes on the field tee to green yesterday. So I'm pretty -- I have to take the positives from this week. Yes, it is disappointing that I had a chance and didn't get the job done, but considering where I've been the previous few majors, it's a big step in the right direction.

Q. Was it just a matter of time for Rahm?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, definitely. 100 percent. And he's obviously had success here at this golf course. I don't think there's a golf course where he can't have success on. He's that good of a player. He was a major champion in waiting. It was just a matter of time.

To shoot 67 out there today was a really, really good round of golf.

Q. What do you make of the whole COVID thing?

RORY MCILROY: He's won two tournaments in a row. I don't care what anyone says. He had that title. It was unfortunate at the end of the day, but he's been playing some really, really good golf. Mentally, I think you have to be in a good place to bounce back from something like that, but he obviously knew his game was there, and he just had to go out and play the way he knows he can.

Q. Your confidence level coming in here and leaving here, can one tournament make that big of a difference on how you feel coming out of here?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, definitely. Again, even at Memorial, I felt like I was playing pretty well. I just have a better understanding of what I need to do, how I need to do it. Again, it's just going from hoping to do something to actually knowing that you can, and I feel this week I've proved to myself that I know that I can, and that's exciting going forward.