ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

November 8, 2025

Rory McIlroy

Yas Links

Quick Quotes

Q. Tell us about today from your point of view?

RORY McILROY: Got off to a good start, 6-under through 11, and seems like the last seven holes haven't really given me much this week. I made bogey on 14 trying to go for the green but finished well.

I gave myself some chances. And yeah, it sort of feels like a week that I left a few out there every day. Even today, I felt like today was the best that I played. After 11, it could have been a really good round, and stalled a little bit, and that's the reason that I'm six back from Aaron and Nico at this point.

Try to shoot another good one tomorrow and move up the board and try to obviously accumulate as many points as possible heading into next week.

Q. Was there something in your eye, the conditions on the back nine?

RORY McILROY: A little bit. I gave myself good chances on 12 and 13 and missed them, and I think because of that I may be forced the issue on 14. And then as soon as you turn 15, 16, 17, 18, at least 15, 16, 17 are hard holes to birdie. They are probably three of the toughest holes on the course.

And then 18 with the tee up today is a chance and thankfully I was able to birdie that and finish up on a positive.

Q. How hard is it to keep your foot on the pedal with what Aaron and everyone is doing?

RORY McILROY: It's hard. You can keep your foot on the pedal, but then if it's not quite happening, it's hard to stay patient. That sort of got me today by going for the green on 14 and putting it in a bad spot and making bogey.

Yeah, sometimes it is hard to stay patient when you're seeing all the guys behind you, 5-under through nine, and sort of you're trying to play catch up. It seems like to matter how well you play, they seem to keep making birdies.

Yeah, that's the name of the game on this golf course. It sort of has been for the last few years. You're going to have to shoot low scores to have a chance. I played okay but not quite good enough to get myself right into contention this week.