I feel the support of an entire country out there

Rory McIlroy reflects about the support at Royal Portrush

Rory, well done on a ling performance out there. How was that for you? Yeah, it was good. Um, you know, I had it going three under through 10, you know, and and let a few slip there around the middle of the round. Um, but I I steadied the ship well, you know, played the last four and one under. And it was just it was nice to shoot under par. I felt like once we turned for home, like played 10 and then turned back and play 11, the wind picked up a little bit and it just became that little bit more difficult. Um, but yeah, it was a you know, it was it was a tough enough day, especially either chopping out of the rough or out of the fairway bunkers most of the time. So to shoot under par was was a good effort. What about the support you had out there today? Yeah, absolutely incredible. Um, yeah, look, I I feel the support of an entire country out there, which is a wonderful position to be in, but at the same time, you don’t want to let them down. So, you know, there’s there’s that little bit of added pressure, but I felt like I dealt with it really well today. certainly dealt with it better than I did six years ago. Um, you know, so it was, you know, just happy to get off to a good start and get myself into the tournament, you know, and I sort of surprised that four, you know, there’s a few guys in four under, but I’m surprised four is leading. I thought, you know, someone might have went out there and shot six or seven today. Um, so, you know, only three back with 54 holes to go. I’m um I’m really happy with where I am in a six-hour round of golf. like on one compared to six years ago. I just I knew what to expect, you know. I it’s not it wasn’t new to me. Um so I think just having that experience of six years ago was was was definitely helpful. You seem very measured going from the number one team after putting practice putting going from there to the first team. What do you make of that? Um yeah, again I think it’s just back to knowing what to expect. you know, I didn’t feel like I was walking into the unknown this time around where where last time um you know, I I I hadn’t experienced that before. I hadn’t played an open at home. I didn’t know how I was going to feel. I didn’t know the reaction I was going to get. Um where this time I I had a better idea of of what was going to be coming my way. The par save on 15, Rory, just how important was that because obviously it spurred that fine finish. Yeah, that was important. Um yeah, it was a big putt, especially um you know, having having bogeied three of the last four at that point. Um that was that was important. It was a it was a huge um it was a huge putt to keep whatever momentum I had. Um and then after that, you know, playing those last three holes and one under was was great. Thank you. Thanks. Well