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AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM

February 11, 2018

Larry Fitzgerald

Pebble Beach, California

Q. (No Microphone.)
LARRY FITZGERALD: We're members of the same club back in Arizona at Whisper Rock and Brian was also. So it was more so than anything just being able to experience it with the men that I was able to experience with. It was a lot of fun.

Q. You're the first African American amateur to win the pro-am here. Did you know that going in at all? Has anybody told you about that?
LARRY FITZGERALD: No. I know I'm the second picked guy to be able to do it. Dan Marino won it, so that's great to be able to do that. But it's great to be able to participate. Mr. John giving me an opportunity to be here again, it's something that I'm very appreciative and thankful of and I'm just fortunate.

Q. You guys were in the lead since the opening round and how well did the week work out for you guys?
LARRY FITZGERALD: Most of the days went really good. Saturday I played very poorly, yesterday. And then that lead evaporated and then I was able to make a couple putts today, which helped us. Streelman being 4-under, that always helps too. So it was a great team effort.

Q. Did you guys have any chatter out there today?
LARRY FITZGERALD: Oh, he's always talking. Always. He's always messing with me. Something is always going through his mind. He's the wittiest guy ever. So, yeah, he's always got some funny, snide remarks coming my way.

Q. How did you prepare for this tournament?
LARRY FITZGERALD: Well, I haven't played like a whole lot leading up to it, just getting over with the season. I was banged up late in the year, shoulder and my knee was hurting. So I didn't have like an extensive practice. I was able to play in an event in Florida, just kind of sharpened myself up, but I didn't play particularly well. I was either making par or like not finishing at all. Like I haven't finished 18 ever. I was just so happy that the lead was at a point where I didn't have to actually -- because 18 does me in. This hole right here. I would hate to have the U.S. Open on the line coming down this hole, because I would for sure make a triple.

Q. I get the sense from talking to you, you didn't think much about winning this.
LARRY FITZGERALD: No.

Q. At what point did that competitiveness kick in?
LARRY FITZGERALD: You never really get into it like that. You kind of got to keep your head down and just keep playing. Mainly my business, no lead is insurmountable. You've just got to respect your opponents and what they're capable of doing. So I just tried to focus just as much as I possibly could.

Q. That means you're coming back next year?
LARRY FITZGERALD: I need an invitation. If I get the invitation, I'll definitely be back.

Q. Where does this rank as far as like achievements for you personally, because you obviously -- your expectations were, oh, of course I'm going to win this thing, right?
LARRY FITZGERALD: No, I think you just try to make the cut. It's so hard just to be able to make the cut. There's so many players, good players, everything kind of has to go your way to be able to win. Kevin really played well. To be able to finish Top-5 in an event and then I chipped in a little bit here and there. It was a great ham-and-egg and to be able to do it with my boy is fun.

Q. Top-5 achievement for you like sports achievement?
LARRY FITZGERALD: Definitely it's up there. It's definitely up there. Because I'm out of my comfort zone. This is not like my profession. This is a passion of mine, but I'm not great by any stretch of imagination, but it was wonderful to be able to participate in it.

Q. Did you guys ever talk about where you stood?
LARRY FITZGERALD: No. Well I didn't look at it. I knew where he stood all the time, like where he was on the leaderboard and I was just pulling for him to try to have him win and make some putts down the stretch.

Q. Sports is about being great when you need to be great though isn't it?
LARRY FITZGERALD: That is the truth.

Q. People can boast all they want, but when you win the scoreboard is the truth?
LARRY FITZGERALD: That's truth. All you got to do is look up.

Q. How much fun is that in that respect?
LARRY FITZGERALD: It was nice, it really is. Like I said, just being completely out of my comfort zone, not being a professional, like just kind of dealing with what comes and that's what I think made it special for me, because this game is so difficult. And I just even have more respect for the guys that are able to win and play consistently at a high level, because it the hardest game out there.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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