ASTARA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD

February 13, 2022

Brandon Matthews

Q. Brandon, congratulations. What a week for you. Your thoughts on being a Korn Ferry Tour winner right now.

BRANDON MATTHEWS: Yeah, it's pretty special. My game has been trending in the right direction for the past few years; been playing really, really good golf.

Support system I've had is absolutely unbelievable. I can't thank everyone enough. My fianc�e has been unbelievable and she's supported me through everything. You know, I can't wait to get home to her, my dog, and I can't wait to see my dad, share this with him, because without them I wouldn't be here.

Q. The final round was a crazy one but you finished in great shape. Just tell us about your round, please.

BRANDON MATTHEWS: Today?

Q. Yeah.

BRANDON MATTHEWS: Was just a lot of patience. I went through a rough stretch there in the middle. Missed a few putts that I definitely should have made, but also was hitting some pretty good golf shots that kind of didn't maybe get the bounces that I thought they were going to get, so on and so forth. But, again, this is all about the patience, realizing not everything is going to your way.

Just keep plotting around the golf course and wait for things to happen, not get ahead of myself. I did that so well today. I was really proud of that.

Q. Describe the final three holes, eagle on 18.

BRANDON MATTHEWS: Yeah, that was pretty cool. You know, hit a great drive on 16; set up a perfect little pitch in there that I honestly thought I made, and then -- which was great to get there, because I knew that I was going to have to do something special down the stretch to either win or get a playoff.

So hit a great drive on 17. Didn't hit the best pitch shot. Left it about 20 feet short. Such a good putt there. I made that dead center, and that was so big for me, especially with some of the putts I hit in the middle of the round. To be able to get there and really make that putt was awesome.

And coming down the 18th I hit three perfect golf shots. You know, hit a great drive over the trees. Was able to hit a really nice little cut 9-iron in there to about five feet behind it, and it was fun going into that putt realizing that this could be the one.

Q. So you said in the ceremony (indiscernible - background noise) here in Bogota, Latin America, 22 years old, and now you're a Korn Ferry Tour winner. How special is that moment for you right now and Bogota?

BRANDON MATTHEWS: Incredibly. I mean, if PGA Tour Latin America didn't exist I wouldn't be here. You know, I think I've played 20 events down here, and the staff, everyone that works with the Tour has been so kind to me. You, you've been great.

And, you know, it's pretty amazing what's culminated out of all that and where I am now compared to when I first got out here.

Q. You made it to the Korn Ferry Tour two years ago and lost your card, but last year you played so good. Your takeaways from that experience.

BRANDON MATTHEWS: Yeah, it was great. You know, where I was in 2019 wasn't great. I wasn't playing good golf. My body didn't feel great. There was definitely a time where I thought I didn't know if I want to be doing this, so pretty glad I did.

Q. What a crazy way is life. You lost that playoff in Argentina, and now life is so good for you. How do you feel after that moment and right now being a Korn Ferry Tour champion?

BRANDON MATTHEWS: Yeah, listen, I just try to go out and be the best that I can be in life and golf combined. You know, I think that situation, you know, for me, that's the only way to handle it. To be able to -- you know, that was really the start of my golf game picking up to another level.

So I realize I owe so much to Dale Gray, my short game coach, Brian Sims. I've been working with them for a few years now, and that was the start of something really special.

I truly believe that I'm ready to do (indiscernible.)

Q. Did you expect that kind of results? You had a great tournament in Panama and now a winner. Did you expect that kind of results right now in your career?

BRANDON MATTHEWS: Yeah, I mean, in my opinion I think I should be in contention and be winning golf tournaments all the time. My game feels great. My mental has been really, really good or the last few years.

You know, if we can kind of continue on this path, I'm pretty excited to see what we can do.

Q. This isn't just a win for you, this is the next step to reaching your dreams. You're going to get your PGA Tour card and play on the PGA Tour. (Indiscernible.)

BRANDON MATTHEWS: Yeah, it's pretty wild. Yeah, growing up as a kid, hitting balls for hours upon hours, dreaming of this, it's pretty awesome to see it come true.