WGC DELL TECHNOLOGIES MATCH PLAY

March 24, 2021

Antoine Rozner

Austin Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Antoine, can you talk about the degree of difficulty on the last shot, your second shot on 18 and sort of the position you left yourself in and how good that was?

ANTOINE ROZNER: Yeah, I think I was pretty lucky I had a really good lie, and no, I think it's one of those shots you've just got to go ahead and hit it. I turned out to hit that shot really well, went super high over the trees. Super happy that it was close because that put a lot of pressure on Bryson on the last chip, so yeah, very happy.

Q. Victor would have been impressed with that.

ANTOINE ROZNER: Yeah, for sure.

Q. How do you feel about your first match, how it went?

ANTOINE ROZNER: Very happy. I was trying to put a good score today. I was just trying to put a solid round of golf, and I think I did that pretty well, especially on the front. Didn't make any mistakes really on the front, and being 3-up after 12 holes I think was a good enough lead. I was actually feeling a little bit nervous at some point on the back nine, but I think, yeah, being 3-up was good enough, and yeah, just very happy I won that match.

Q. Were you curious at all playing with Bryson today? You've seen the stories, you know how far he hits it.

ANTOINE ROZNER: No, I wasn't curious. I was excited because it's my first WGC. It's match play. I haven't played match play in a long time, so I think, yeah, I was more excited than curious.

Yeah, no, it was just a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun today. It's nice to play again in front of some people out here because in Europe we don't have any crowds, so no, it was a lot of fun.

Q. What made you nervous on the back nine?

ANTOINE ROZNER: I don't know, just being able to beat the world No. 5, it's not every day that I can play match play against the world No. 5 in a tournament. I think that was -- yeah, I just enjoyed it.

Q. A lot of Americans are going to be meeting you for the first time, so just to kind of get a flavor for who you are, who were some of your golf idols growing up?

ANTOINE ROZNER: Well, obviously Tiger. I think he impacted the game so much for me, for everyone around here growing up, so yeah, Tiger, and then I would say in France maybe Thomas Levet and Victor Dubuisson. They were the guys that really put French golf on the map, and yeah, especially Viktor, what he did a few years ago was very impressive.

Q. What kind of things do you like to do when you're not golfing? What are some hobbies or stuff we might not know about you?

ANTOINE ROZNER: Well, before COVID, that was different. No, I like hanging out with my friends. I love every kind of sport, so I like watching all different sports on TV, I even go to the events. Now it's a little bit complicated at home with everything that's going on, but yeah, just like hanging out with my friends and watch some sports.

Q. Who's your Ligue 1 team?

ANTOINE ROZNER: Oh, PSG. I live like five minutes' walking from the stadium, so yeah.

Q. Was there a moment early where you felt like you were going to be playing pretty well today? Was there a shot that made you feel good?

ANTOINE ROZNER: I think the first few holes were important for me because again, I was feeling a bit nervous, and yeah, hitting some good tee shots on 2, on 3. Yeah, a good shot on 4, as well, on the par-3, I think that helped me relax a bit and get some confidence. Yeah, I think that was pretty key for me.

Q. Did you have any conversation, any chatting with Bryson, or was he --

ANTOINE ROZNER: Not really, besides where do you live.

Q. Did you ask that of him or did he ask that of you.

ANTOINE ROZNER: I asked him. Other than that, he didn't really talk much.

Q. What's your match play history before coming to this event?

ANTOINE ROZNER: I played a lot of match play as an amateur at home. I won the French Am back-to-back. I played the Palmer Cup as an amateur and won my four matches there, so I've got a pretty good record in match play as an amateur, and this is my first match play event as a pro, so it's been a while.

Q. Does it raise any thoughts in your head of the Ryder Cup? Do you start to dream a little?

ANTOINE ROZNER: You know, it's a dream. It's a goal. I'm still quite far behind in the rankings and I think in Padraig's mind for the Ryder Cup, so I'm just trying to play good golf, and yeah, if I can be in that team, for sure that would be amazing for me. That would be -- that's a dream. I was at the Ryder Cup in Paris every single day watching it, so it's truly inspiring, and yeah, if I can be there one day, that would be great.

Q. Did you try to get in next week in San Antonio?

ANTOINE ROZNER: I've asked for an exemption. Still waiting on it. We'll see.

Q. Where are you living, by the way? Not Dallas, obviously.

ANTOINE ROZNER: Where am I living? I live in Paris.

Q. Do you have to quarantine when you go back?

ANTOINE ROZNER: Yeah, when we go back, seven days, yeah.

Q. Looking at the rankings, this is an upset. From your perspective do you consider it an upset?

ANTOINE ROZNER: Not really because I think in match play everyone is on the same level, so no, I don't think it's an upset. Obviously he's a heck of a player. He hit the ball so far. No, I think it's just a round of golf. It doesn't matter who you are. In one round you can beat anyone. No, I don't think there is any upset in there.

Q. When you were 2-up after 15 and then you get to 16 and he's right and you put it into the water, is there any part of you that's thinking, don't blow this now?

ANTOINE ROZNER: No. I was more angry at myself for hitting a bad shot. Other than that, I was just taking shot by shot, so there was no forward thinking about it. I was just trying to hit a good shot.

I was actually at that point trying to have a putt for par, and you know, if I could make that putt, that's what happened, he had to hole the birdie putt to win the hole. No, I don't know. I think I was just, again, so focused on playing a good round of golf, like I was just trying to save par at that point, so yeah.

Q. Earlier today we saw Ian Poulter beat Rory. Similar situation that he was behind him off the tee usually, which in stroke play would be a disadvantage, but there's something interesting where you do get to hit your approach shot first and have the chance to put pressure on somebody. Is there a little benefit there maybe?

ANTOINE ROZNER: Could be. In key moments like on 18, yeah, because obviously I hit it close, so his chip was totally different.

Other than that, I don't know because all the players are very focused on what they have to do and not really focused -- I'm not focusing on what the other guy is doing. If he's making a birdie, great, he's winning the hole, that's good. But I'm just focusing on what I have to do.

Q. If somebody offered you season tickets to the Chiefs or the Royals, which one are you taking?

ANTOINE ROZNER: Chiefs.

Q. That was quick. How many games did you go to?

ANTOINE ROZNER: Not a lot. I think one or two. We had golf practices most of the time. My coach is there so we can ask him.