Q. A round of 67. The last couple days you said you left a couple out there. I suspect it's more of the same?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, it is. 4-under through 10 today, and then yeah, similar sort of -- the birdies dried up. Kept hitting good shots. Especially the last few holes. Missed, I think I had three 8-footers on 15, 16, 17 for birdie that I didn't convert, and you know, bogey on the last.
So the last four holes, I've probably played them the worst that I could, which is unfortunate because I felt like I could have been right up there, sort of at 15-under around the lead, and to give one away at the last is disappointing.
But depending what the guys do coming in, I'll be within three or four, and at least still have a shot if I get off to a good start tomorrow.
Q. You've come from behind 14 times on the PGA TOUR to win, since 2006, more than any other; so you know what you're doing. How do you about it mentally and tactically when you're chasing?
RORY McILROY: Similar to what Bob did today. You get off to a good start, and you sort of try to ride that momentum. I didn't get off to quite as fast of a start on the front nine as did I yesterday.
But that's sort of what I'm going to need tomorrow. Going to need to be at least 3-under through five to get myself right up there around the lead and from there just try to keep it going.
Q. No one has ever successfully defended The Scottish Open.
RORY McILROY: It's good to have the opportunity. As I said I wish I was two or three shots better off but yeah, it's another opportunity to go out there and try to win a very prestigious tournament that's got a lot of history, and as I said, I just didn't get off to a good start, and try to ride that momentum.
Q. I know not the finish you wanted. What do you want to clean up tomorrow?
RORY McILROY: I think just converting the chances that I'm giving myself. If I look back the last two days, especially on the back nine, I've given myself some chances and I haven't converted. Felt like I have definitely left a few out there all three days but especially yesterday and today.
You know, the ball-striking has been pretty good. I hit some really good iron shots on the way in there, just couldn't convert, and then it was disappointing to bogey the last after that.
So yeah, a few shots worse off than I want to be, but still in with a decent chance tomorrow.
Q. As confident in your game as you are right now, does it make it easy to stay patient?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think so, easy to stay patient, knowing that the game is there. Easy to stay patient knowing that there's one eye on this week and ultimately one eye on next week, too.
But would I love to go into next week, get myself right into the thick of things tomorrow.
Q. When you look at the conditions going into tomorrow, we had more low scores today, would you rather have that when you are in the position that you are and have to chase?
RORY McILROY: Not really. I'd probably prefer it to be a little tougher if I'm having to chase because one or two birdies, you can really shoot yourself up the leaderboard, where when the conditions are like this, it's sort of you have to make birdies to sort of keep your position on the leaderboard.
So I'd rather it was a little tougher but it seems like that's probably not going to be the case tomorrow. It's up to me to get out there and get off to a fast start and try to put some pressure on the guys behind.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports