Rory McIlroy Open Press Conference: Everything He Said

‘I KNOW I’LL HANDLE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER’

Speaking to BBC, McIlroy is confident he can handle the pressure of leading a Major better this time around.

KNEW ‘EARLY ON’ HITTING IT HIGH AND LONG WAS THE WAY TO GO

Probably early on. I always liked trying to hit it far and hit it high. I didn’t necessarily grow up on a links course,” he said.

“Holywood is a parkland sort of golf course. I had to learn how to hit it high. I think, once I was a teenager and I started to travel around Europe and to South Africa and Australia and some of these other amateur events, I soon realized that hitting it long and hitting it high was a big advantage in the game.”

ON BEING IN NEW YORK AFTER US OPEN LOSS:

“It’s liberating in some way. The thing is just to get out, to not be on a screen, to look around, to –  I think trying to find the joy from the small things in life I think is really important,” he said.

“Going there especially is a good reset, just in terms of seeing everyone living their lives and the hustle and the bustle. Honestly, no one gave a shit if I missed the putt at Pinehurst.

“It’s a nice perspective to keep. Yeah, just to go and get lost in a big city like that and just be one of the herd sort of going about your day, for me anyway, it’s a nice feeling.”

ON THE STINGER DRIVE:

“It’s definitely something I’ve developed over the years, and honestly it’s only a shot I’ve been able to hit since I’ve become a little stronger. Really it’s about trying to keep my right side high on the way into the golf ball. I’ve talked about my sort of low tee and high tee,” he explained.

“I tee it down low, which helps me keep on top of it and keep that right side high. If I tee it up a little higher, I can get some right side bend going. When you time it well, it can be awesome. When you don’t time it so well, it can create some issues. It’s a really nice go-to shot for me if I don’t feel 100 percent comfortable on a tee shot or if a tee shot doesn’t fit my eye, to be able to tee it low and hit that shot.

“12 at Pinehurst was an example. It’s a wide fairway, but I got up there, and I just didn’t see…