Shane O'Donoghue: Guys great to see you together. I think this may be something of a first. Can you describe the nature of the relationship between yourselves?
Rory McIlroy, left, and Tiger Woods have been regularly paired together.
Rory McIlroy: I think it's sort of evolved since Abu Dhabi at the start of this year. I'd played with him before but never really got a chance to speak to him in depth and, you know, I think we both have a lot in common - we're both big sports fans and I think our relationship has evolved from there. We've played together quite a lot this year, and it's been great for me to get to know him and maybe try and pick up a few things and learn from him too.
Tiger Woods: We were paired together quite often - especially in the play-offs - and we've kind of battled each other a few times, but I think as Rory was alluding to, we have a lot in common. Granted, there's an age difference but I have a huge age difference with my other good friend Mark O'Meara, but we have so much in common, just so easy to be around and I think our relationship will certainly grow over the years, but so too will our competitiveness - I don't think that's going to change.
RM: And Tiger was a huge hero of mine growing up, from watching him win his US Amateurs back in the 90s to watching his first Masters win in 1997. You know, basically all the way through, watching him do so many great things on TV and then getting the chance to know I'm getting the chance to compete against him is something that I always dreamed of. To get to know him and hang around with him is something that I find pretty cool.
SO: In what way has he inspired you?
RM: He set the bar so high with what he was doing with golf, he transformed the image of golf you know, made it a younger sport, got younger people into it and I guess gave it a more athletic image as well. And that's something that I really liked about it.
SO: Tiger, beyond your dad, Earl, who was your real golfing inspiration?
TW: Obviously it's Jack [Nicklaus]. He set the bar for every one of us - the best player ever in the biggest championships.
SO: He was an incredible talent, even as a junior. But when did you each know that you had a particularly special talent? When did it become apparent to you? Rory?
RM: I guess for me it was when I started to beat the men. I started to win big amateur tournaments at 15, 16 and then I really thought that I could have a future in the game.
TW: Very similar. I had been successful at basically every age. Junior golf, I did really well, won a bunch of tournaments. Amateur golf; I did really well in college, won a few US Amateurs but still every time I went up to the next level as a junior I went up to amateur golf, I didn't do very good. Then when I was an amateur I went up to the professional ranks and didn't do very good so when I first turned pro, there was still a lot of anxiousness and certainly doubt that I could actually do this full time.
SO: Tiger, when you look at someone like Rory, what do you see in particular that impresses you?
TW: Well, it's athleticism. It's the confidence, it's going out there and hitting shot for shot. It is fun to play against somebody like that who has a lot of belief in their own ability and goes out there and does it. These guys are so athletic. It's a new era in our sport and we're kind of in a transition, from when I first came out here, no one worked out except me and Vijay [Singh]. I'd see him, we'd be in the same gym and it would only be us! That was it. Now you see everybody. It's nice to see someone of Rory's class takes golf seriously and considers it a sport, and not just an activity.
RM: You see the guys coming out now like Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland. There are a lot of guys who are so strong and make really powerful moves at the ball and if you're going to meet them you have to match them or better them in some way.
SO: The fact that we've got the two of you together here now - that's not something that we would have seen maybe five years ago with you being the dominant players. Is that a change in you perhaps, this friendship among the top guys, a willingness to be interviewed together?
TW: Well, I think we had that feeling; we just didn't share it with the public. I got along pretty good with the guys in my area but it was more just in the locker room and obviously down the fairways. For some reason Rory and I have become really good friends and will continue to be that way. You know it's actually pretty funny you say that because I talked to Jack [Nicklaus] about it and Jack and Arnold [Palmer] didn't like each other, they just didn't see eye to eye, but now they're the best of friends, so obviously that does happen - mutual respect over time and getting to know someone.
SO: On the Ryder Cup, your thoughts on the victory and the defeat from both sides and, in particular, the Saturday night - the feeling in both camps.
RM: Yeah, I think Europe winning those last few points on Saturday night it really did something for the team morale and [Europe captain] Jose Maria [Olazabal] made a pretty emotional speech on Saturday night and I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. And we went out on Sunday and just gave it our all and everything worked out in our favour. Justin [Rose] holed those two putts against Phil [Mickelson], it all came together for us and we got the points we needed in the end.
SO: From the American standpoint obviously it was a devastating Sunday. Hopes were so high and [US captain] Davis Love was held in such high esteem so it looked like it was going to be your day on the Sunday.
TW: We're the ones, as players, who had to go out and execute and we didn't do that on Sunday and you know, I think the swing match was Rosey's [Rose] win. It looked like Phil might have holed it on 17 and the match would probably have been over there and then we would have won the Cup. But then Rosey made it and birdied the 18 and it just swung and it got to a point where it came down to [Steve] Stricker and myself at the back. Unfortunately this is the second time that I've been at the back where my point didn't matter. When we had an opportunity to close it out, we didn't do it.
SO: And, for you personally, was it a big disappointment?
TW: Certainly it is, yes. Especially the first three sessions that I played. Because my first session I did not play very well and ended up losing the match, but the next two I really played well and only got a point out of it. Unfortunately I ran into Nicolas [Colsaerts] that day and have never seen a human being putt that well for 18 holes. But I thought I played pretty well myself, but unfortunately it just didn't add up on points.
SO: You apologised to some of your teammates. Is that true?
TW: Absolutely, yeah. I took the guys aside and said, "Hey, I tried my best but it just didn't work out."
SO: Very briefly to summarise the year. How do you in your own words characterise what has happened in 2012?
RM: I think 2012's been a great year for me. When you win a major championship you've got to count it as a great year. I won thee other times. I had that little bit of a mini slump in the summer where I didn't play well for a few tournaments, but that happens.
SO: How do you assess it, Tiger?
TW: As Rory said, winning a major makes it a good year and I've had a great year, winning three times. There were a lot of people who said I wouldn't win again and then to win three times this year and pass Jack on the all-time win list. I think that's pretty cool.
SO: Do you see Rory in the same league?
TW: Absolutely. I mean, he has the potential to win countless more tournaments. Not just in the States - he's a global player and he's only going to get better. Still young, still 23 and still learning how to play shots. His game is still developing so that's a neat thing - the high side is so high, and he's already accomplished so much at an early age, that it will be fun for me as a competitor to go against him as he's getting better.
SO: How desperate are you to get that next Major?
TW: It would be nice, certainly. It's been four years now since I've won a major championship and I've been there with chances over those four years but I'd like to get another one, no doubt.
SO: You still see it as a realistic goal to surpass Jack's 18?
TW: Absolutely. Don't forget that it took him to 46, so with the fitness routine and eating properly and staying in shape I could play for a very long time and I'm looking forward to that opportunity. Then I may have 10 more years and that's 40 more major championships I get a chance to play in and compete in and try and win and hopefully I can try and at least win five of those.
SO: Rory, you've spoken about not really targeting 14, or 18 or Jack's total. What's most important - having your own career slam? Would that be a logical next goal for you?
RM: Yeah, I guess you could say that. I'm half way there to the career grand slam. I've already won two, I just want to try for a third. And when I get my third I want to try and get my fourth. It's never been something that I've put a number on. Obviously I looked up to Tiger so much as a kid and he's always had that goal of trying to surpass Jack's number. Maybe one day I will think about it a little more and try and put a number on it, but right now I'm at two and I want to get to three. I think the next big goal for me is if I could win the career gland slam it would be a huge point. Not many players have done it in the past and it would be great to add my name to that list.