WGC DELL TECHNOLOGIES MATCH PLAY

March 26, 2021

Dylan Frittelli

Austin Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Just give us your thoughts on advancing to the round of 16.

DYLAN FRITTELLI: Super excited. I'm glad I made it through to the sweet 16 as you call it, but not so proud of the way I played today. But that's okay. I'll just forget about that tomorrow, do some practice this afternoon and set things right.

Q. I'm sure you do the math and permutations of what you need to do to advance. Did you realize it before your match was over?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: Yeah, my caddie mentioned to me on 16 green that we were going down 18 and Tony was 1-up so that secured it for me, so I had breathing room walking that hill to 17 tee box.

I was trying to take care of business myself and finishing in style. I didn't really get off to a good start and struggled most of the day really.

Q. I asked you earlier in the week if you felt like a 64 seed and you said absolutely not. Is this kind of proof of that in your mind?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: Yeah, I think so. I definitely was in a group that was winnable on paper in my mind. I wasn't going to say I was the favorite in the group, but I said if I got through Tony Finau that would definitely make me the favorite in my mind, and I did that on day one quite convincingly.

So that gave a lot of confidence, and hopefully I can get my mind back to what I was feeling like Thursday morning.

Q. Did you feel like you were kind of playing with house money after winning your first two days?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: Yeah, for sure. I mean, Will is a great player. He was obviously not going to take it lying down.

But yeah, I just -- poor start and then decent middle of the round and didn't really finish it off too well, but that's okay. I've got a short-term memory, so I'll just forget about that and get some work done and be ready for tomorrow.

Q. Have you played with Will before?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: No, that was the first time. Never really had a conversation with him, either. He's a new kid on the block. Very impressive, nice guy, sweet kid and pretty good golfer, too.

Q. What do you like most about the way you're playing this week?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: I'd say just the confidence I have in the driver. I'm hitting it pretty well right now, nice and long. And then putting. The putting yesterday was amazing down the stretch against Jason Kokrak. I made probably three putts in the last five holes that were for me pretty amazing. I don't make too many putts typically, but yeah, I'm really proud of the putting right now.

Q. You've played this golf course probably more than anybody in the field. Do you feel like this is a course that can be overpowered by somebody that can drive the ball a long way like Bryson?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: Yes. I mean, any course can be overpowered if you can put it in play. I think there are a few holes where doglegs and water and hazards kind of inhibit your ability to hit it long and take advantage and I think wedge is going to be the better odds, but in match play anything is possible.

There are some scenarios where like today I dried to drive it onto the 18th green because I knew 335 front edge is downwind, I could get it there. So something like that is hugely helpful. I almost did it. Hit it just right of the green, hit the tree.

But things like that are definitely crucial around here. But for me it's more so the razor edges. Like 12 where got a 7-, 8-iron into the green and there is water all the way down the left or 13 on the tee shot. Those are the ones that are really important.

If you're confident and you can hit that prescribed shot in the small little area that you have, it's more important to do that stuff than bomb it 350.

Q. I know you've played all over the world your whole career, but seven rounds to win this tournament, how grueling is something like that? Have you done that ever before?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: Yeah, I've won -- so I won a South African Junior that was -- I guess I won the stroke play qualifier and went through -- I guess it was a 64-man seed, so yeah, seven matches to win that, 36-hole final. So that was even more golf than what's on the cards here.

I'm in great physical shape, so for me stamina is no issue. It's just about getting my performance up to that top level that it's going to take to beat these guys in the last 16.

Q. You were talking about reducing your body weight, getting a little bigger and stronger. Was there one or two keys to that as far as either diet or the way you trained?

DYLAN FRITTELLI: Yeah, just eat as much as I can. I kind of err on the side of eating too healthfully. Besides cookies, I have a few cookies and ice cream, but eat too healthfully. My trainer says to me, Just eat more. Eat some dirty meals. Eat a pizza once a week at least and just put on the calories.

I did that pretty well through quarantine and I'm holding my weight right now. Weighed myself this morning and I'm 80.5 kilograms, so that's my fighting weight right now, which is pretty good.