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WGC DELL TECHNOLOGIES MATCH PLAY

March 30, 2019

Francesco Molinari

Austin, Texas

Q. How were you able to do that today? Kevin was coming in here very, very hot.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, just played very well from the start. Kevin birdied the first and then after that just played very well and made a few putts, and didn't make too many mistakes. It was playing tricky this afternoon. I'm glad it's over now.

Q. I know you never come into these matches thinking you're going to close it out on 13 or 14, like you did earlier this morning, but just another dominating performance. Talk about the match as you knock off Kevin Na.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, played great today, given the conditions. I would say a lot better than this morning. Yeah, he birdied the first and then after that just started birdieing a few holes in a row, and just tried to keep pushing, like this morning.

I think it's really important at this level, even if you're three or four up early, to keep going because matches can turn very easily. So again, I did that very well and I'm very happy with my performance.

Q. And your putting was absolutely superb on this second match. I guess you got used to the green speeds and finally started rolling them in.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, much better. Obviously, having a little bit of time between the two matches gave me a little time to go to the putting green and roll a few there. And, yeah, putting was really superb today.

Q. Another golden performance. Tell us about this afternoon.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, just played very well. Much better than this morning. Kevin birdied the first and then after that I started birdieing hole after hole and just putted great. Hit the ball very well. It was really tough with the wind this afternoon but I managed to adapt to the conditions very well.

Q. Another example, isn't it, once you do get in front, that you just keep putting your foot down, you keep the throttle down?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Well, I tried to do that and I did that well definitely today. It's not always easy, but I kept pushing and kept making putts, and I think that's the way you need to do at this level because matches can turn very easily on you.

Q. Also conservation of energy. I don't think you got past the 14th hole today (inaudible) .
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, it's nice. Yesterday I was one of the few last games out and finished on 17. So it was a quick turnaround this morning. So it was nice to have time to chill and recover and try to get ready for tomorrow.

Q. How did you do on the front nine today?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I just played very well. This morning I struggled a little bit on the greens, to be honest, and it was nice to make a few putts and, yeah, I mean it's just one of those days where things go your way, and the main thing was just to keep going and keep pushing, and I did that very well.

Q. How much did it change with the wind in the morning to the afternoon?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Obviously, I adapted very well but it was a completely different golf course from what we played the last few days and from this morning. Cold, the temperature, much more wind and a different direction.

So, yeah, it's the same for everyone, you just have to adapt and try to read the conditions as good as possible.

Q. (Inaudible).
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: As long as I win. I can play 27 holes per match, that's not really the point. It's nice obviously to close it out early, but I'm ready to go as long as it takes.

Q. It's ten in a row, if you can't the Ryder Cup, for you.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, but Tommy had a bit to do with the first four.

Q. Six in a row. Still pretty good, right?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Yeah, very good. Very good. But like you say, I hadn't won a game in match play in ten years. So I was due a few wins.

Q. I think you're the highest seed left in the tournament. Do you feel like you're the favorite?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: Not really. I think match play at this level everyone has got the same chances. The four guys left tomorrow will have 25 percent each. The margins are really small. Everyone has a chance.

Q. Are you just kind of beating them to death with your mechanical game? You're hitting those fairways and greens and it seems other guys can't match with you.
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I guess, yeah, I'm just trying to play my own game as much as possible, not look too much at what they're doing. I think in the past one of the mistakes I made was to get too hung up on what the other guy was doing on the course. Yeah, in the end if you hit fairways, hit greens, make a few putts here and there, try not to drop any easy shots, you're going to be pretty hard to beat.

Q. How do you not play the man, given you're forced against him?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: We play stroke play so much that it's not really that hard. You just go back into, I guess, your mental routine that you go through every week and there is a part obviously of still looking what they're doing and adapt. If they hit a shot into a hazard or whatever, you might adopt a strategy. But the main thing is mentally being ready for every shot and try to execute every shot as good as you can.

Q. What did you do in between matches?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I had some food and just went through like the pre-round warm-up that I normally do. So tried to obviously approach the afternoon as a whole new day, whole new game.

Q. How do you rest up after a big day like this?
FRANCESCO MOLINARI: I'll see what I can do. I'll probably get some treatment and go into a nice bath or whatever you can do to try to maximize the energies for tomorrow.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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