THE MODERATOR: Rory, second time here at the DP World India Championship. You've just been out and played the pro-am. How is it looking out there?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it's looking good. Just as tight as I remember from last year. It's, yeah, definitely a different golf course than what we're used to playing. It doesn't offer you a lot of room off the tee. A lot of irons and strategic play with your tee shots.
This year I think the rough is a lot longer and thicker than it was last year, so that's going to present a challenge. But if you're hitting irons off tees you shouldn't really be in the rough, so I'll be telling myself that yesterday -- sorry, I will be telling myself that tomorrow.
But, yeah, it's great to be back. I had a wonderful experience here last year, and I come here now as a DP World ambassador. Deepened my relationship obviously with the company that puts on this event but is also the umbrella sponsor of the DP World Tour.
Obviously very happy to be back and representing them. Looking forward to a great week.
THE MODERATOR: Great stuff. Open up to questions.
Q. First, Justin Rose yesterday referred to this as being something of a second-shot golf course; what to do after your tee shot is what will be important. That's one. Do you agree with that?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I would say in some ways, yes. In other ways I still think the tee shots are very important. Sometimes when people talk about a second-shot golf course, you know, sometimes, you know, it means that the tee shot is irrelevant, which it's not around here.
As I said the rough is very long and if you do find yourself out of position off the tee, you're going to have difficulties.
So, yes, I would say that your scoring opportunities are from your second shots and your approach play, but you have to be playing those second shots from the fairway.
Q. As a follow up, your role as a DP World ambassador. They announced they provide you with a performance environment trailer sort of thing. Can you tell us about where the idea came from. Did you pick somebody's brains and have other sports people use something like that and asked them to do it, or did they come to you with the idea?
RORY McILROY: No. So I already have my performance trailer in the U.S., so I spent -- the idea came from Justin Rose has something similar with the recovery unit that he has in the U.S. Novak Djokovic has the same thing.
The idea came from them. I decided to pull the trigger on it when Justin won in Memphis last year. He's 45 years old, playing great, contending in major championships, and I was -- at that time I was 36. I was like, I want to play really well for the next ten years; I feel like I need to do something like this.
Basically spent, you know, probably the next six to nine months configuring a performance trailer. Found a company from the Netherlands, Expandable, that do a really good job, so configured that the way I wanted to and used that for the last three tournaments in the U.S. in Memphis and St. Louis and Atlanta.
At that point we had started to talk to DP World about maybe trying to deepen the relationship, and I thought it would be -- you know, I have this, the use of this wonderful trailer in the U.S. but I don't have any coverage around the world.
DP World being the expert in the logistics that they are, I thought, well, maybe if I can try to do something similar in Europe and the Middle East and the international events that I play, at least that will provide my coverage for every event that I go to.
So worked with DP World on trying to find a solution for that. Yeah, we obviously came to a great agreement, and hopefully by the time I play the bulk of my U.S. schedule next year, the first tournament back on Europe will be the Irish Open, and hopefully by the Irish Open then I'll have that European and rest the world trailer that I can use as well.
Q. Rory, couple of questions: Does the big dog come out this week given that rough is longer and the ball might not run through the fairway? And is that any of the plan? Because last year everyone was so happy to see you over here, but they were slightly disappointed because the driver was in the locker room.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, Shane Lowry had a funny line about that when I did the partnership with DP World that they should write in your contract that you have to hit your driver in India at least four times a day.
But, yeah, to me it just didn't make sense. I'm here to win the tournament. I'm not here to hit drivers. I think the best chance will be by keeping the driver in the bag or in the hotel room so I'm not even attempting to hit it.
Q. Rory, you met a friend of yours today in the morning. She's our gold medalist at the Asian Games. She referred to you after winning the golf medal that you were the motivation when she had an early triple bogey in her round. I just kept telling myself Rory did it after making that double bogey early in the day on Sunday at the Masters.
RORY McILROY: Yep.
Q. First, tell us something about that meeting and what you thought of her. And second, can you just tell I was the responsibility or this thing that you have where people just -- golfers just look up to you and try to become better?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, look, I think an amazing achievement winning the Asian Games. I think showing the resilience and character she showed to go on after having that early triple like you said. And it was a delight to meet her. She is a wonderful young woman. She said she was nervous, but didn't seem like she was.
But, yeah, it was great to spend some time with her. Yeah, obviously an amazing achievement. She told me she's got the Women's Indian Open next week at DLF, so she walked a few holes and said she needed to go practice and prepare.
I think her partner is playing this week as well in this tournament, so, yeah, amazing accomplishment, and I'm glad I had the chance to meet her.
Oh, and the responsibility. Sorry. Yeah, look, I take that part of it seriously. You know, I can remember back when I was younger and starting out in my career and the people that I looked up to, and some of my idols at the time went out of their way to spend some time with me and let me ask them questions or play practice rounds with them.
I feel like it's only right that I pass that along and I try to help the next generation out, whether that's just by inspiring them through play or playing practice rounds with them like I do with some of the amateurs at the majors.
But I feel like that's a responsibility when you sort of the get to the place in the game where I'm at.
Q. For years I kept asking you when you would come to India or when would you win the Masters. You did both of them, won Masters twice and been to India twice. I am sure you must have heard this new rule coming up that you can't be a member of the DP World and, say, another tour, like the LIV. Kind of makes things very, very clear.
RORY McILROY: Yeah.
Q. What is your opinion? You've always been very clear in your head and thoughts and words.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I mean, you can still be a member of the PGA TOUR and the DP World Tour, so...
But, yeah, we, as the DP World Tour, are a members' organization, just as the PGA TOUR is the members' organization. Every year before you play your first event you sign up to abide by the rules and regulations of that members' organization.
So before I play -- the Australian Open is the start of next season, before I play the Australian Open I will sign a document that binds me to abide by the rules and regulation of the DP World Tour.
When I go and play my first event in America, I will sign a document which binds me to abide by the rules and regulations of the PGA TOUR.
Everyone that plays on those tours does the exact same thing. This isn't new information. Everyone does that every year. The leadership or the management of those membership organizations, they have the right to change and adapt the rules and regulations where they see fit to protect their business or their rights.
This is what the DP World Tour are doing. I think with the way the golf landscape is, I know the PGA TOUR and the DP World Tour are working really hard to find like a suitable landing to continue with the strategic alliance. I think while they're doing that, LIV is in such a state of flux that -- you know, I think the DP World Tour have been more than accommodating to LIV players.
You know, yes, they've had to maybe do some things that have been conditional to their membership, like play a couple extra events this year, but I think this was always coming down the line. I think the DP World Tour have made a good decision, because the golf landscape, I feel like it's been constantly changing for the last four, five years. It's now got to the point where guys are going to have to make a decision and what's important to them and what they really want to do.
As I said, the DP World Tour are well within their rights to change the rules and regulations. This is the way to protect their business and to make the tour as strong as possible.
Q. So in a very short way to say, it was unsaid before, but it's now been clarified totally: If you're with the tour, you're with the tour. Now it's put down in paper.
RORY McILROY: Yeah, if you sign up for LIV 2.0. You won't be a member of the DP World Tour. It's simple.
Q. So my question is more philosophically. You have gone from a young golfer to becoming one of the greatest yourself to now shaping its future. Whether you like it or not, the words you say shape the foundation of much of golf round the world. Has that responsibility changed your relationship with the game, and do you sometimes perhaps miss the simplicity of just being a golfer?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, you make a good point. I think back to when I started on the European Tour back in 2007. Yeah, was a lot simpler. I think as time goes on and you achieve more things and you become more passionate about where you've achieved those things, that means a great deal to you.
I've been banging on this drum a little bit over the past few years. The DP World Tour has a wonderful opportunity now from September through to January where they can showcase the best of international golf.
This week is a prime example. The Spanish Open last week is a prime example. Obviously Wentworth, Irish Open, Dunhill, Korean Mixed. There is a lot of wonderful events at this time of the year, and I think by the PGA TOUR wanting to play in a tighter time frame, it gives an opportunity for this tour to really shine and showcase the greatest places in the world that maybe didn't have light before.
That's something I really want to get behind, and that's why I'm here this week and why I love going to Australia or playing in the Middle East. As much as I love the PGA TOUR and I've been successful there and done my time there, there is always a nostalgic feeling of wanting to come back to the DP World Tour because it's where I started my career and where I feel like I was given my opportunity.
That's the reason I keep coming back and keep trying to work with them, so that we can build these events to be as big and impactful as they can be.
Q. Welcome back to India. Last time you were here you spoke very warmly about India and the hospitality and all that. I wanted to ask you, coming back, what is it that you felt that you missed, that you really have come to enjoy about our country? The second one is that you have won just about everything there is to win including a career slam. How do you approach the space of your career? What excites you? What challenges you?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, so I would say the one thing that hits you when you come here is the warmth of the people. That's a wonderful -- we travel to a lot of countries in the world and sometimes the locals don't make you feel as welcome.
So it's been very, very nice. I love the food. I don't like it when it's too spicy, but I do like it.
Q. Have you tried something specifically that you've come to like?
RORY McILROY: I keep it very benign. I love Indian flavors and spices as long as it's not too hot, which is nice. It means that when I -- whether I'm eating in the hotel or go to a restaurant in the city, I know I'm always going to be okay with food and I'm going to at least find something to eat, which is -- there is a few players that might have some problems here, say, for example.
And then, yeah, I think, again, going even just to the golf tournament, this golf course is like a throwback. It really reminds me of the courses I grew up playing: Tight, tree-lined; hit a ball offline and it's lost.
So I love these golf courses like here. They're probably not the best for my style of game, but I still enjoy playing them because I feel like they're a challenge for me. And then at this stage of my career, it's always nice to get to this part of season and have a chance to win the Race to Dubai.
Eugenio jumped me last week in Spain. Patrick isn't playing so well. So I think this is really a good opportunity this week to cut into that lead and head to the Middle East in a really good spot to try to win my eighth Race to Dubai.
So that's important. Obviously the majors are important. It's a Ryder Cup year next year. I want to make that team. I want to contribute. I want to earn more points for Europe.
But I think majors, Ryder Cup, international golf, but obviously the bulk of our play is in America as well. I still want to do well over there.
So I feel like I have a lot of plates spinning, but I think at this stage of my career that's a good thing. No matter where I turn or play, I feel like I've always got something to strive for or achieve.
Q. Welcome back to India. I have a golf question for you: If you were Rory the junior coming to this club, which are the players you would look out for to understand and learn more from in things like putting, swing, rhythm, mental fortitude, course management, discipline? This information from you will help a lot of kids today and this entire week.
RORY McILROY: I would say it's hard to single out any one person because we've got a great field this week. There are so many great players. The one that -- if I were a junior that I would come to watch and I wouldn't just watch on the course, but I would watch his preparation, his practice, his diligence, everything that he does of the course, it would be Aaron Rai. He just does everything like a true pro.
He would be -- if you were looking at work ethic and structuring your practice and really doing all the things that you need to do to give yourself the best chance to win, Aaron does all those things.
The preparation for me hasn't been what Aaron's has this week. Doesn't mean I'm not going to go out there and give it my all and try to win the tournament. Aaron is a very good one to try to emulate.
Q. (No microphone.)
RORY McILROY: I mean, I always love watching Tommy Fleetwood hit balls. I love the way he goes about the practice. I could watch Shane Lowry around a chipping green all day.
There are so many great players here this week. I think as well you look at maybe the way I swing it or the way Tommy swings it which would be a little bit more orthodox, but then you see a Ryan Fox and then you see -- there was another name I had there that just blanked on.
There is more than one way do it. I think having that originality and having your own DNA in your game is important as well. Again, watch us and watch what we do and try to emulate something. At the end of the day you still need to be yourself and still need to be your own golfer and know what makes you tick.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Rory, thank you everyone.
RORY McILROY: Thank you.
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