ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

November 6, 2025

Rory McIlroy

Yas Links

Quick Quotes

Q. 68, describe your day out there for us.

RORY McILROY: It was okay. I felt like I gave myself a lot of chances on the back nine. Just didn't really convert. Hitting good putts. But just mostly under-reading them. Then not to birdie the last after where I was off the tee was a little disappointing.

You know, that was hopefully the bad round out of the way. There's three more rounds to try to take it a bit lower.

Q. At the end you gave a big exhale almost but there must have been positives out there. What were the positives?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I felt like the driver was good. Obviously a new driver in the bag this week. Felt like that worked well. Hit some good iron shots. Felt like I controlled my ball in the wind pretty well when the wind got up there a little bit for the last few holes.

Just need to hole a few more putts. I think that was the difference between what I shot today and being up there around the lead.

Q. I was going to mention the wind, because the last hour, hour and 20, it did change. How different did the course play with that wind?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, it did, it played a little more difficult, and then especially coming in, there's a couple of tricky holes. You know 15, 16, 17 are three good holes, and then the last plays tricky with the wind off the left.

Yeah, you know, it just makes you think a little bit. It's not very difficult but yeah, you have to have your wits about you.

Q. It was okay but could have been very, very good.

RORY McILROY: It could have been a lot better. I missed a lot of opportunities on the way in. I felt like I hit good putts, 12, 13, 14, 17 and then the last there.

Yeah, it could have been much better. Felt like it's the worst I could have shot so I guess that's a positive in a way. Need to hole a few more of those 10- to 15-footers tomorrow.

Q. The nature of your schedule is somewhat fragmented at this time of year, but you get into a run now for this three-week sort of period. Are you on the bike? Is the bike running on full power?

RORY McILROY: Just trying to work my way through the gears right now. It's getting there. As I said, hopefully that's my sort of worst round out of the way. But it wasn't terrible by all means. I drove the ball well and felt like the driver was good. New driver in the bag this week. So that was a positive.

The wind got up a little bit that last sort of hour, hour and a half, and felt like I controlled my ball well in the wind and hit some good iron shots. Need to convert a few more chances that I was giving myself.

Q. First time you played with Marco. Thoughts on his game?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, he's a flusher. He's got a great ball flight. Obviously drives the ball really, really well. Yeah, he's a really, really strong player.