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IRISH OPEN PRESENTED BY DISCOVER IRELAND

July 30, 2011

Rory McIlroy

KILLARNEY, IRELAND

Q. Talk us through your round out there today?
RORY McILROY: It wasn't the best of starts, to double-bogey the first, and bogey the third, and was 3-over through three holes, but played okay. Made a few birdies after that. Just was a bit loose and made another double-bogey on the 8th hole which wasn't great but played the back nine pretty well.

Q. How hard is it to recover after a bad start like that?
RORY McILROY: It's tough, especially at this tournament, you're trying to push so hard can get back into it. I probably just tried a little bit too hard at points on the front nine and just didn't really go for me.

Q. What about the weather out there, we've seen a bit of rain and wind there today; did that affect it at all?
RORY McILROY: Not really. The wind wasn't too bad. It was probably a club of wind so it wasn't anything really this strong and just a bit of rain the last couple of holes.
Most of the round was good, and yeah, I mean, the wind probably made it a little trickier today. But still, could have shot a good score.

Q. Looking to tomorrow, just heard you say that you might get a game with G-Mac after all?
RORY McILROY: I hope so. It would be good. It would be a nice way to sort of finish off the week. I thought we could have had a game today but didn't quite work out. Hopefully we can get a game tomorrow and be a nice way to finish the tournament.

Q. What about the big birthday today, will you be helping him celebrate later?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I probably will at some point. I'm feeling as if I need a couple of drinks or something, I'm not sure what yet. But yeah, so I'll probably go out with him for a little bit.

Q. A difficult day when you're pressing hard and you have to make up ground on the leaders. Was that the case on the first tee?
RORY McILROY: Not really. I hit a decent tee shot. Just didn't really come back on the wind for me, and was in that little, whatever you want to call it, the beachy bit on the right side and was in a pretty awkward lie and didn't get it out. Just a very messy way to start the round, and then to bogey the third, as well, was tough.
I just had to sort of try and hang in there and make a few birdies here and there to get myself back in the round, but you know, making the double bogey on the 8th hole as well wasn't great and I just tried to get myself back after that.

Q. You had a touch of the four rights going on in the middle of the right; it's not like your driver to go right. Just a glitch and something you can sort out quickly?
RORY McILROY: I'm happy that it's going right rather than left, which is a good thick. At least the club's out in front of me instead of being behind me and flipping it over and going left.
So to miss right, I'm not too bothered with. It's an easy fix. Just the ones that go left I don't like.

Q. The condition out there, first bad conditions of the week really?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, the wind was up a bit more than it was the first two days. It was definitely a club, a club and a half of wind, but the conditions were still good enough that you could shoot a good score.

Q. Can you do a Ross Fisher tomorrow, a 61, something like that? It would be nice to do that, wouldn't it?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it's been done before. Depends how far off the lead I am. If I can go out with the mind-set, try to get it into double figures for par, shoot 64, be a good way to finish the week.

Q. A humongous, large gallery following you, almost like the U.S. Open.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it's incredible. It's fantastic, the crowds. It's tough because you're trying to do as well for them and you're trying to push so hard. It's a difficult situation to be in because you want to do so well for them and they want you to do so well. You know, you're trying so hard and I felt at times out there today, I was almost trying a little too hard.

Q. Is that something you need to work on? Because I followed you are for a lot of yesterday and you just seemed to be really enjoying it. You didn't seem like a guy who was weighed down by a huge gallery and crowds. Is it something that you find yourself struggling with at times?
RORY McILROY: At this tournament, definitely. I think I feel it here more so than anywhere else. Just that it's -- yeah, you're trying so hard to play well for not just yourself but for everyone else. And yeah, sometimes you can just find yourself trying a little too hard and pushing a bit too much.

Q. Were you feeling good on the first tee? Were you relaxed and ready to go?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, fine. I was okay. Hit it all right on the range. Just hit it right on the first, which left myself in a bit of a tricky spot and I made six there, and just wasn't the best way to start the day.

Q. Talking to a couple of the guys who finished earlier on, they said that they were just having to keep the ball in play today and that was the key rather than trying to be too aggressive; do you agree with that?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, a little bit. If you're a few off the lead you want to try to make as many birdies as possible. Just wasn't the best day for me out there today.

Q. A little bit of rain again toward the end, and looked like the wind was blowing quite strongly for certainly maybe most of your front nine?
RORY McILROY: It was okay. The wind was definitely a little stronger today than it has been the last couple of days, but still, nothing really to speak of. Maybe a club of wind or something, so it wasn't too bad.

Q. And do you think maybe your chances now are pretty much gone?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I mean, I'm just hoping to get a game with Graeme tomorrow and we'll enjoy that and head to Firestone next week.

Q. Will you join with the birthday celebrations later on tonight?
RORY McILROY: I'm feeling as if I might do so, yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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