Q. 4-under par through 11 holes, everything going well into the lead, and then suddenly three bogeys in six and a birdie at the last. How do you reflect on that one overall?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I played very solidly for those first 11 holes. And then 12 felt like the first time I'd really put myself out of position. And once you do start putting yourself out of position on this golf course, this setup, these conditions, it starts to get very, very difficult.
Yeah, I mean, I just -- it's very easy to make bogeys out there. Just a little bit off, you know, if you miss a fairway, or even if you miss a green, the lies around the greens aren't very good. And then you're sort of having to think about are you going to try to putt it or chip it or bump and run it or fly it.
It's very, very tricky once you get yourself out of position. So, easy to make bogeys, but it was nice to at least birdie the last and feel like I sort of salvaged the day a little bit with that birdie.
Q. Days like that can be mentally so tiring when everything's so taxing. Did you feel like there was any lack of concentration, or were you on it all day?
RORY McILROY: No, I mean, if anything, I started to get frustrated with the golf course. It just, you know, as it dries out, lies and fairways aren't very good, and greens start to get bumpy. And I started to get maybe a little bit frustrated with the course on the way in. But I think it's just the nature of it. It's a tough test.
I think, as well, I've been coming to this golf course for 17 years, and this is the toughest I think it's ever played. So in my mind it's sort of like, well, you should be going out and shooting 66 or 65, and the course just isn't set up that way this week. And you just have to show a little bit more patience out there.
Q. Going into the weekend, obviously with an opportunity to win the championship and also potentially win the Race to Dubai, some would find it sort of intimidating or imposing to go out there and say, well, I've got to finish first or second or third to try and knock this off. Do you find it inspiring?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I mean, I want to win this tournament. You know, I've won four times down the road at Emirates. It'd be nice to win four times here.
So, yeah, I want to win the tournament. And if I win the tournament, that's all I can do. It doesn't really matter what any of the other guys do, you know, if they play well enough. But if I go and I win the first trophy on Sunday, then the second trophy should take care of itself.
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