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ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP


January 18, 2013


Rory McIlroy


ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

RORY McILROY:  Pretty much the same as yesterday.  When you don't hit fairways on this golf course, you can't score.  I didn't putt well again, so they were the two areas of the game, nothing was really on today.  One of those things.  I've got a few weeks off now to work at it and try and get my game in decent shape for the U.S.

Q.  What's the story with the putter?
RORY McILROY:  I just felt like the greens that I've been practicing on in Florida are a lot faster than these.  The putter, the Nike putter is great on that.
But then getting to here, it's just a lighter‑‑ so it's just a weight issue more than anything else.  I can feel the head of this one I used today a little bit better.  On fast greens, the other one works fine.

Q.  Certainly everything else about you is Nike, so that now isn't; is that allowed in the contract?
RORY McILROY:  I'm not here to talk about my contract.  I'm here to talk about my golf, and today it wasn't so good.

Q.  And work to do with that golf, so you've got some time to work again?
RORY McILROY:  Yeah, I have.  I've got four weeks to work at it and get ready for the Match Play.
I knew it was going to be a tough week with everything going on, but I was just looking forward to getting to the golf course and getting back to what I do and what I'm comfortable with.
It just didn't work out like that.  I hit the ball really well last week in practise in Dubai and just sort of gradually got worse this week for some reason.  But I'm going to spend the weekend here and practise and work at it with Michael a little bit.

Q.  How disappointing is it to not be here for the weekend competing?
RORY McILROY:  It's very disappointing.  You know, you really want to get off to a nice start at the start of the season, but I've got to realise that it is only the start of the season and there's a lot of work to be done, a lot of golf left, and I said to the guys yesterday on the way back, as long as I feel like my game is in good shape heading into Augusta, that's all I'm worried about.

Q.  Was it a tough decision to change putter for today?
RORY McILROY:  I just wanted to try it because I felt like I didn't get anything to the hole yesterday.  I just felt like it was a little light for these greens.  The greens aren't particularly quick here so I just feel like the one I put in today was a little bit heavier and felt like I could get the ball to the hole.

Q.  How do you explain what's happened?
RORY McILROY:  I don't know, I just didn't‑‑ all aspects of my game were off.  I didn't drive the ball well.  My iron play wasn't anywhere near the standard that it usually is for me.  I'm just struggling with my swing a little bit.  Feel like I'm spinning out of it a lot hitting out of the heel quite a lot.  Just need to put in a bit of work on the range.

Q.  You know the rules, people will be questioning the new clubs and saying do they suit you and everything like this; how big a factor at all?
RORY McILROY:  I mean, it's the first week out.  I wouldn't look too much into that.  If anything, it's more the Indian and the arrow at this point.  So a few hours on the range tomorrow and Sunday, and a bit of work with Michael and try and clear a few things up.

Q.  I notice you changed putter today.  Tell us about that decision and whether it's been a long‑term one or not?
RORY McILROY:  It was just for these greens this week.  I felt like the greens were pretty slow out there.  The Nike putter that I used yesterday is a little light, a little lighter, and it was just a weight issue more than anything else.  I feel like the one I used today was a little heavier and I was able to get the ball to the hole.
Even when I got the ball to the hole, it still didn't go in.  The change was to no avail.

Q.  You've got four weeks now before you play again and obviously you'll be working on your game, but also testing the kit a bit more and making some tweaks to it?
RORY McILROY:  For sure, I've got to work on a few things.  Really happy with the ball and the wedges.  Putter is good on fast greens that I've practised on, and I just need to‑‑ probably just need to find a driver that I'm comfortable with, because I didn't drive the ball at all well.  I feel like that's a big advantage for me is driving the ball.

Q.  Just very briefly, were you involved at all in the Tiger incident?
RORY McILROY:  No, not at all.  I know he called Martin over.  It was an embedded ball, but you know, through the green doesn't mean sand‑‑ I mean, I wouldn't have known, that either.
Yeah, it's tough for Tiger and tough for the tournament I guess, to not have him for the weekend.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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