Q. Was today as different as it would seem from yesterday?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, a little bit. I hit my irons better. I hit a lot closer, especially on some of the par-3s. Holed a couple extra putts which always helps. But, yeah, it was a solid day. I wouldn't say I played a lot better than yesterday, but I scored a little bit better, and maybe a little bit more efficient with some things. But, yeah, overall it was a good day, and it was a good day to get myself back in the hunt and feel like I have a real chance going into the weekend.
Q. I think there was a stat you hit 14 straight greens, like the most ever here or something. Did you just feel it just suddenly the flow being there?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, a little bit. Yeah, started to make some good swings, especially with the irons. I think as well I played one tournament in seven weeks, so yeah, I think just getting the reps under my belt a little bit and getting a scorecard in my hand. I feel like your patterns on the golf course are always a little bit different than your patterns on the range, or it is for me anyway. So it's just, you know, learning those patterns and just trying to problem solve on your way around there. I feel like I've always been good at that, and two rounds in, I've seen improvement each day, so hopefully I can continue to see improvement over the weekend as well.
Q. Can we get your reaction to the LIV news on the Public Investment Fund pulling their funding at the end of this season?
RORY McILROY: Yeah. Yeah, look, I think everyone sort of knows my views on LIV and where it stands in the game of golf. I don't think I need to rehash any of that. It's never been for me and, look, it doesn't mean that LIV is going to go away. They're going to go and try and find alternative investment, whatever that may look like. But when one of the wealthiest sovereign wealth funds in the world thinks that you're too expensive for them, that sort of says something (laughing).
Q. I know you talked about this in the past, that you're not in the room, but what in your mind should the path back, if any of those players want to come back to the PGA TOUR?
RORY McILROY: It's a question if they do want to come back. Obviously we have seen the quotes over the last few days. And, you know, it seems like some of the guys, if -- again, it all depends on what happens to LIV. But if it is a scenario where they have the option to come back and play on the traditional tours, you know, I think Brian Rolapp has said anything that makes this TOUR stronger, anything that makes the DP World Tour stronger, I think everyone should be open to that. That's just good business practice.
So, but again I think there's going to be a lot of sort of bridges to cross to get there, just because, you know, obviously the guys over there are under contract and if they are able to keep it going and get a schedule together next year, it seems like those guys are still going to play the majority of their golf on LIV, in whatever form it takes.
Q. But you've been following the narrative. I mean, anything jumped at you? I mean, several guys have been pretty outspoken that they don't want to come back here. Does any of that surprise you?
RORY McILROY: Yeah, which is totally fine. Like, again, I think I've said at the start, I was probably too judgmental with the guys that went because I was seeing it from my point of view and maybe not seeing it from other points of view. But again, I'm not going to judge anyone for not wanting to play on the PGA TOUR.
I don't know, you know, does that mean that they go play DP World Tour maybe; if that's a pathway, that would make the DP World Tour stronger, and I would be delighted with that, because that's my home TOUR, at the end of the day.
But this is, if you want to be the most competitive golfer you can be, this is the place to be. And if you don't want to play here, I think that says something about you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports