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WGC DELL TECHNOLOGIES MATCH PLAY

March 23, 2017

Ross Fisher

Austin, Texas

Q. A very important victory.
ROSS FISHER: I didn't have my best today, to be honest. That's not taking anything away from Louis. He played very solid and very steady. I had my chances, but I just couldn't take him. I knew I had to go out there and play well.

Fortunately for me, Hideki has not been at his best this week, so it's just nice to take advantage of that.

Q. Looking at your group after two days, Louis has got to win, you have got to win, Jim has a got a half and a win today, so he's one and a half points. You play Jim tomorrow. If you beat him, he's gone because you've got two and he can't get past one and a half. Louis could win and join you with two points. It's intriguing.
ROSS FISHER: There's a lot to play for. The new format, you don't play one match, carry on and go home. You have got three games to try and get through your group. As you say, anything can happen.

Tomorrow is going to be a tough day. Jim Furyk is a great match player. I've played him before and managed to scrape a couple of wins against him. Just got to go out and play like I did today just less of the rubbish stuff in the middle.

Q. Mentally, how organized are you coming into a round-robin situation?
ROSS FISHER: Obviously I knew -- I was watching the TV when the draw came out. I saw the draw and thought that's going to be a tough group to get through. So to be honest, you just take it a match at a time. You take Louis yesterday, Hideki today, Jim tomorrow. Go out there and play my own game, if it's good enough to win a match, great. If not, as long as I've done my best, that's all I'm after.

Q. It was a must win match.
ROSS FISHER: Yeah, definitely. Obviously, I knew it was going to be tough. I knew Hideki was struggling with his game, I heard. Didn't play particularly well against Jim yesterday, so was kind of hoping that the trend was going to continue and it did. He wasn't at his best today.

I felt like I played pretty solid. I had the match in control all the way. Just a couple of silly mistakes. Hit it in the water on 11. Massive drive down 12. He hits it in the water. I hit pitching wedge in, trying to get the middle of the green. Unfortunately, just really quick down there.

Kind of kicking myself there, thinking I should be more up. Then hit my second into the next and won that hole. Just kind of cruising then, I just wanted to close the game out. A couple of misjudged shots coming in, short putt missed on 15, let me back in the game. I'm 1 up with three to go. Really clutch putt on 16 for a half. Then on 17 to close the match out, I was relieved not to go down 18.

Q. A bit of a subplot going on given your World Ranking and how close you could be getting into the Masters.
ROSS FISHER: I knew at the start of the week I needed to, I would say, get through my group stage and hopefully that would be good enough. I put it to the back of my mind. I'm going to go out and play how I've been playing. I had three really good days at Lake Nona Thursday through Saturday, and then came here Sunday a bit of practice, had a couple really good days around the golf course. Monday and Tuesday with Dennis. So felt really good.

I was a bit disappointed yesterday with how I performed against Louis. But battled back today. If I can play well tomorrow and get through, if it's good enough to get into the Masters, great. If it's not, as long as I've tried my best, see what happens.

Q. Jim Furyk your opponent.
ROSS FISHER: It will be tough. Jim is a gritty match play competitor. I think I played at least once if not twice at Tucson and managed to come through those. Then played him in Ryder Cup in I think foursomes and managed to get a victory there. I know it's going to be tough. We have very different styles in how we play the game. Jim is going to be down the middle, on the green. If I want to win, I have to play really, really well and try and put some pressure on him.

Q. Talk us through your round.
ROSS FISHER: Yeah, obviously got off to a good start, getting up early. I knew definitely was -- my match tomorrow against Jim. I can't really be looking forward -- got to look forward to playing Jim Furyk tomorrow. Get a good lunch, good rest tonight, nice dinner. Come out tomorrow and hopefully we get to play tomorrow. I heard the forecast isn't particularly good tomorrow. Just have to wait and see and play it by ear. Really up for tomorrow and going to be a tough game.

Q. How much do you know about Jim Furyk, Ross?
ROSS FISHER: I know quite a bit. I played him in Tucson at least once, managed to get a victory there. Came up against him in the Ryder Cup a few years back. I managed to get in couple of victories against him. Obviously I know Jim very well. He's just a gritty competitor, very solid. Doesn't make many mistakes. It's going to be a tough game. If I want to win, I have to play very, very well.

Q. You beat Hideki, one of best players in the came. What was the weakness of his game today?
ROSS FISHER: He just wasn't firing on all cylinders. Didn't really make many putts and was struggling with his swing and his game. Obviously, I kind of knew he was not at his best. But in match play, anything can happen. So I didn't want to ease off him. I wanted to put the pressure on him as much as I could. Fortunately, I played well enough to get a victory.

Q. You didn't seem very happy on the tee shot on 17?
ROSS FISHER: No. I was trying to go at the pin and the wind got a hold of it. When I saw it land, I was hoping it was going to take the slope and obviously it didn't. To walk up there and see -- I obviously was very, very pleased. Not the way I intended to hit it, 10 or 12 feet, but I'll take it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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