GENESIS SCOTTISH OPEN

July 12, 2026

Rory McIlroy

The Renaissance Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Three rounds in the mid 60s, one particularly poor one, round 3, just give us your thoughts on your day and also reflect on your week for us.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, felt like I was pretty much in control of everything after the first two days, and then the long day yesterday, waiting ash, didn't get off to the best of starts, and then didn't finish the third round off today particularly well. Sort of pieced it together.

Sort of realised what I was doing. Tried to figure it out a bit on the range before I went out to my final round. At least I know what I'm doing. It's a matter of trying to sort of rectify it. Obviously there was some good in there today but there was some bad, as well.

So I'm going to need to work a little bit over the next couple days to be ready for Thursday.

Q. Off to Birkdale where you finished fourth last time they hosted, 2017. Do you feel with a few days you can get into position where you fancy your chances?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think so. I just need to hit some balls in a right-to-left wind. That usually helps me. Again, it's the same thing that I get a lot when I start hitting balls in a left-to-right wind like it has been over the weekend. My path and my face just get too far apart, in terms of like my face is just the further left than my path is and I start hitting these left shots, especially with the irons.

So it was feeling good coming in here, and it was GOOD. I hit some really good iron shots over the first couple days but the more I hit balls in a left-to-right wind, the more that starts to sort of show its self, and then it's a bit of a struggle.

Q. We talked on the broadcast how quickly things can change over links golf, nine-stroke improvement from round three to the final round. What was the big change?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, look, I definitely hit it a little better today than I did in Round 3. I noticed a few things in my game and my iron shots, especially this morning coming out for the sort of back end on the third round, and I went and tried to work it on the range between rounds.

At least I know what the problem is and it's just about fixing it. It's been pretty windy this week, and then when the wind on the range is off the left, I just get into that bad habit of hitting it further left than the path at impact, and I start hitting left with my iron shots, and I still hit a few out there today but I managed a little bit better and I managed the clubface better and I held a lot of putts. I putted really well today. That was the difference between 73 and 64.

Q. Are you a big believer in momentum as you head into The Open Championship next week?

RORY McILROY: I am, of course. It's nice to sign this week off with a good score but I know I need to do a bit of work between now and next Thursday to feel really comfortable with my game.

But I don't feel like it's too far away. But yeah, this is -- there's definitely some positive signs.

Q. Jim Nantz called what he said might be the quote of the season on 16 when you yelled to yourself, "I am so bad at golf." I'll give you the opportunity now: Do you want to take that back? We all disagree.

RORY McILROY: In that moment, the shot I hit with that 6-iron was a very, very poor golf shot, so in that moment, I was so bad at golf.

Q. We'll still respectfully disagree. Good luck next week.

RORY McILROY: Thank you.