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ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT PAUL LAWRIE MATCH PLAY

August 4, 2016

Matthew Fitzpatrick

East Lothian, Scotland

Q. You've beaten Thomas BjÃ¶rn in some style, 5-under through the first eight holes and 5-up. What was the key to the fast start?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, just hit a few close ones. Been saying it for awhile, just hold the putts. Didn't miss one out there today. So it makes obviously a massive difference.

And certainly the early start, gave myself some chances and you make those, and all of a sudden you're sort of well ahead. You can't just ease it in but it makes life a lot easier. It was good to get that done.

Q. And the mind-set when you're 5-up that early in the round, just to finish him off early?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, absolutely. You stick to the game plan. You don't change anything. You still play smart. Obviously you don't take anything on unless you really need to. But yeah, just keep trying to hit the same shots you've been hitting and hopefully it will work out.

Q. I know that you're threatening to make a Ryder Cup place, and Thomas is a Ryder Cup vice captain; looked like you were more interested in battering than making friends with him?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, me and Thomas, we got pretty close the last few months. He's given me a lot of really, really good advice I've taken on board. He's obviously a great player and he's a great person to listen to and talk to about stuff.

Still an enjoyable day. Obviously not so much for him but it was good to, I'm pleased to get the first win.

Q. You haven't been in the best of form since winning the Nordea Masters, four missed cuts and then a 49th place last week. It's been suggested it's Ryder Cup-itis; you're just so desperate to make the team, you're trying too hard. Any truth in that?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I'm sure there is. I think there's definitely a little bit in there.

But at the same time, four cuts I've missed, I've missed three by one and then the other one was because of the draw, or that's what I'm going to tell everyone.

I think today, certainly I know it's a very small window to show, the first eight holes, 5-under and I holed the putts all of a sudden and I'm 5-under through eight and I feel that's the difference. If I can carry that on now until the rest of the year, it doesn't matter. Then hopefully I'll sort of get my form back to where I want it.

Q. What aspect pleased you the most about your game?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Everything, yeah. I drove it well. Putted well. Chipped well. Yeah, don't know a better way to say it. The only bad shot I hit was a pitch from like 60 yards to about 45 feet. So still got a halve, so it wasn't the end of the world.

Q. Holing more putts?
MATT FITZPATRICK: That was the difference. Gave myself the chances still and rolled them in. Yeah, I do feel that's the difference, and I feel like that's -- obviously everyone on the outside sees that, sees me missing the cuts by one, but that today for the first eight holes, I was 5-under and didn't really miss a shot.

Q. Any reason for that, the putting today?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Maybe just a bit more free. Match play is different, you don't have to worry about the return. Certainly that's how I felt out there. I almost didn't care about missing, and that's the thing that you've almost got to have I guess.

Q. Nice message to send to the vice captain.
MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, true. I said already, I've got pretty close with Thomas and he's given me some great advice over the past few months. Yeah, obviously it's a nice one to start with.

Q. Five months ago, did you expect to be in a position you are in now with regards to Ryder Cup?
MATT FITZPATRICK: No, not at all. No, not at all. I've got to be honest about that. It's all happened so fast, and I think it's difficult. I'm only 21 still, and don't know many 21s other than Jordan Spieth that have had to deal with stuff like this.

Yeah, it's obviously all new to me at the same time, kind of understandable. But at the same time, I have got high expectations, and I know where I want to get to. And hopefully we'll get there eventually, but maybe just take a bit more time and not be so hard on myself.

Q. Are you excited about what could be ahead of you in the next two or three months?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Absolutely. Yeah, there's still the rest of the reason, there's The Ryder Cup, there's The Race to Dubai, and defending the British Masters, as well. Yeah, there's some big things to come and at the same time, I'm very excited for a rest, as well.

Q. Tell us about your family, obviously a 21-year-old, get to go this stage in your career now. How do they support you? They must be a little surprised, as well, to where you are?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I think they are. I think everyone is. The path that I've taken has gone like that, and the path that probably was supposed to take was a bit more even.

I think obviously at the minutes been a bit slow. I've not sort of had the best results that I want. But like I say, today, game's felt close and it sort of showed today the first eight that just roll a few in and then that's the difference.

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