THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 12, 2022

Rory McIlroy

TPC Sawgrass

Quick Quotes

Q. How tough was it out there today?

RORY McILROY: It was very tough. The front nine was a little more sheltered so it probably didn't play quite as tough. But some of those holes on the back nine are so exposed, like 16, 17, 18, it's brutal out there. Hitting those tee shots on 17 and 18 and just keeping them dry and walking forward is nice.

Q. What's your thought process on 17? Do you have a number in mind? Are you trying to feel something out?

RORY McILROY: You're looking there, and it's such a big target to hit the screen. Basically, it's a big massive dartboard, and you're like, just hit it anywhere on there. I hit a pretty good 7-iron. It pitched 123.

Q. What does it normally go?

RORY McILROY: My 7-iron? 185. It's crazy.

Q. Rory, I think that first round took 43 hours and parts of three days. Have you experienced anything like that, and what did it take to sort of get through that?

RORY McILROY: Bethpage '09 U.S. Open is probably the closest I've experienced to something like this. Yeah, it's been really unfortunate, just with the weather and everything that's sort of come our way. I guess that was part of the reason why they moved it to May a few years ago. Yeah, it's unfortunate, but hopefully sort of get back on track tomorrow and get this thing going.

Q. What did you do in downtime? Read any books? Watch any Netflix series?

RORY McILROY: A lot of "Frozen." A lot of "Peppa Pig." A lot of "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse."

Q. Do you think you've done enough to make the cut?

RORY McILROY: I don't know. I might be one short. We'll see what happens tomorrow. Obviously the double on 7 was very untimely. I thought if I birdied the last and got to 1-over, that should be good enough. I did everything I should have done on 9. I hit four good shots, but the putt just sort of didn't want to go in.

Hopefully I've done enough. I mean, it just depends on the conditions tomorrow for the other guys.

Q. But you played well today?

RORY McILROY: I played okay. I played pretty good. For whatever it was, 21 holes that I played today, I was 1-over par, which I thought was pretty good in the conditions.

Q. It was a frustrating day. Obviously the tough side of the draw; is that something you just have to accept?

RORY McILROY: You get your good ones, and you get your bad ones. You have to believe that they all even out over the course of a year or a career, I guess. I've certainly been on the good side of a draw many times, and I've been on the bad side a lot too. But at the end of the day, I feel like it all just sort of evens out.

It sucks that the bad end of the draw is this tournament, but it is what it is.

Q. Did it ever feel like it was unfair to be out there today?

RORY McILROY: No, it's not. No, because it was so soft, it's not as if -- it was fine. The ball was staying. It wasn't -- I mean, very tough conditions, but it was fair.

Q. Rory, how quality was Justin's round bogey-free?

RORY McILROY: It was really good. He can flight his irons really well. He really showed today what he does well and what he excels at. 3-under par out there is a helluva round.

Q. Rory, sorry if I got in late, but could 17 play any harder?

RORY McILROY: Geez, no. I was saying, I hit a 7-iron today that pitched 123 or 124, and my 7-iron goes between 185 and 190. So playing 60 yards of wind.

Q. What did you hit on 18?

RORY McILROY: Driver, 3-iron, short of the green, yeah.