Q. 2023 Hero Desert Dubai Classic champion, at the start of the week you said you had some unfinished business and you've sealed the deal. You're now a Rolex Series Champion. Just sum it up for us, what does this victory mean?
RORY McILROY: It means a lot. It's actually funny, Harry said to me, finally we get a gold bib. Obviously I haven't won one of these big ones before. Look it was a battle all day. Honestly it's been a battle all week.
I really feel like I haven't had my best all week but I just managed my game so well and played really smart. Even that second shot at the last there, you know, I was in two minds. I probably could have got to the green but seeing what happened yesterday and what happened last year, giving myself a wedge to try to get up-and-down to try to get the win. Just ecstatic that I gave myself an opportunity the first week back out and yeah again as I said I managed my game well. I definitely feel like there's tons of room for improvement but it's a great start to the year.
Q. It's no secret that there's been a lot of noise surrounding this week. Given who was in the chasing pack, did that spur you on?
RORY McILROY: I think mentally today was probably one of the toughest rounds I've ever had to play because it would be really easy to let your emotions get in the way and I just had to really concentrate on focusing on myself. Forget who was up there on the leaderboard, and I did that really, really well.
I feel like I showed a lot of mental strength out there today, and again, something to really build on for the rest of the year.
Q. And now you've won the season-opening event. How does this shape the rest of your season for you?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, look, there's been a ton of positives this week but also been some things that I need to learn from and I need to try to improve on. Look, I'm going to enjoy this. This is probably sweeter than it should be or needs to be but I feel like I've still got some stuff to work on. You know, as I said, it's a great start to the year and a really good foundation to work from.
Q. Also want to touch upon what happened on 18, given last year, what happened, and also yesterday, talk us through your decision-making.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, honestly I feel like I got lucky that my ball didn't go in the water off the tee shot. It's such an awkward tee shot for me. Driver is too much and 3-wood is not quite enough. So tried to hit a sort of easy driver and it came out really, really hot, and you know, I was lucky for it not to go in the water but I really only had one choice. I needed to lay up and try to get up-and-down that way.
I said yesterday with the two balls in the water on Sunday last year and then yesterday, fool me once, shame on me and fool me twice -- I wasn't going to get fooled a third time.
It was nice to be able to play the percentages and make it pay off.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports