Q. I don't think you played in this last year as a warmup to The Open. What's your decision as to why you're playing in it now, and how are you feeling ahead of what's going to be as ever a huge two weeks?
RORY McILROY: Last year we had the JP McManus Pro-Am, so I felt like even though it wasn't completely competitive and serious, I felt like, I guess easing my way back into competitive golf before The Open at St Andrews.
So I just felt like this year, coming off the back of a big stretch, having three weeks off going into The Open probably wasn't going to be the ideal prep.
So to get some competitive golf under my belt going into Hoylake but, also it's now a co-sanctioned event with PGA TOUR, European Tour, leading The Race to Dubai; up there in the FedExCup. It's also an opportunity to gain some points on both sides of the pond, looking towards the end of the year and trying to win the season-long titles on both sides again. I feel like I'm sort of killing a few birds with one stone this week.
Q. You played some great stuff at the moment, top eight finishes in six of the last seven majors. You've obviously been in great form this year as well. How close do you think you are to getting over the finishing line next week at Hoylake, and how much are you looking forward to going back nine years later?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I'm as close as I've ever been, really. My consistency in the performances, especially in the majors over the last couple years is way better than it has been over the last few years.
So I'm really pleased at that but at the same time, having had a really good chance at St Andrews; having a really good chance in L.A. a few weeks ago.
Yeah, I need to keep putting myself in those positions obviously and the more times I go through them whether it be St Andrews or L.A., and just gaining that experience. You know, all of that stuff, even though I'm not getting the wins, it's going to stand by me for whenever I get myself in position again.
Q. Is there any mental scars from that or have you parked that and moved on pretty quickly?
RORY McILROY: I don't think so. The one nice thing about the U.S. Open a few weeks ago is I had to play golf the week after. I didn't have to, but it was nice to play the week after at the Travelers because then you're not really dwelling on it, right. You have to get right back in the saddle and go all over again. There has not been much dwelling on anything.
I was really happy with my performance. I thought I stuck to my game plan really well. I know my game is in good shape so, I'm excited about that.
Q. How can you use this week at all as a tune-up for next week going into Hoylake?
RORY McILROY: I played four weeks in a row and then having two weeks off where I took at least the first week of that two weeks completely off. I didn't touch a club for a little bit after that four-week stretch. I think just to get some competitive golf under my belt, get a scorecard in my hand and play. It's not pure links at this place, but it's linksy enough conditions that at least you're playing in a bit of breeze and you're maybe getting some visuals that you would get at a links course.
So I think just all of that will obviously be good with one eye towards next week, and The Open. But still, it's a big tournament and I can sort of make points on both sides of the pond looking later down the line at the end of the year for FedExCup and Race to Dubai and all that stuff.
I think this week serves a few purposes.
Q. You just mentioned you are as confident in your game as you have been for a really long time. Going back to Hoylake where you have really good feelings, is it possible to temper your expectations, and if so, how do you do that?
RORY McILROY: Absolutely. I sort of dealt with that at Augusta this year. Felt like my game was in really good shape I didn't produce what I needed to produce the first two days, and that was disappointing.
I think I learned a lot from that and just about playing a golf tournament. 72 holes is a long time. A lot can happen. It's a journey. It's a journey to get yourself into contention, and to be there on Sunday afternoon, and there's a lot of golf shots to be hit and a lot of golf to be played.
Yeah, the worst thing you can do in this game is get ahead of yourself.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports