U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2022

June 17, 2022

Matt Fitzpatrick

The Country Club

Flash Interview

THE MODERATOR: Matt, talk us through your round a bit.

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, played really, really well. Three of my four bogeys were all three-putts, so that's kind of sums up the day. Just didn't putt well enough today.

Just don't know what it was. Yeah, just couldn't really see anything going in. Felt like I hit the ball tee-to-green really, really good. I think I hit one chip shot all day, so that kind of summarizes how well I felt like I hit it.

Yeah, I feel like I've left a couple out there, which to say in a U.S. Open is pretty rare, but it is positive going into the weekend.

THE MODERATOR: You finished a little early here on a Friday. What will be your plan the rest of the day?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Get away from here before the storm comes. Yeah, try and do nothing.

Q. You've never been afraid of doing things a little differently if you think they'll work. Just curious if that was always the case or if there was ever a time in your life where you'd get embarrassed trying something that looked different?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Not really. If it's better and it works and it helps you win, may as well do it. I'd rather win than worry about looking stupid.

Q. So do you understand how it may feel for somebody else who is embarrassed about doing something a little different? Do you have any advice for them?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I get that, but it depends if you want to be second all your life, then just do that. But, yeah, if it helps your game and it helps you improve, then there's no reason not to do it in my opinion.

Q. There's some guys who are open about treating major championships differently. It fair to say that you approach every week the same?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I try to. I definitely try to. I think previous years I've definitely kind of not had that attitude in terms of practice or worried, going home early, or maybe I should have been more putting or chipping or hitting, whatever it is.

I feel like there's been a big difference this year. It's something that I've asked my coach, Mike, to keep an eye on and let me know if he sees anything of how I used to be. But I feel like so far, so good. It's kind of about trying to keep every week the same really.

Q. Does keeping every week the same and playing against really good competition every week, does it make it easier when you are in a tournament like this to just feel normal?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I think so, yeah. I definitely think so. I think when you sort of play in the majors, there's always this emphasis from the media, as well, that it's like, wow, it's one of the four, it's such a big deal, and it is a big deal. It's a huge deal to all of the players. That's what everyone wants to win. That's what everyone's legacy is about.

But you just have to try your hardest to make it consistent, do the same things each week, and not change anything. Wouldn't do anything different this week trying to figure out my lines off the tee or spending more time around the green chipping. Still spend the same amount on the 8th here as I would on the 8th last week in Canada.

For me it's just trying to be consistent with everything I do.

Q. Do you think there's too much importance put on majors, too little, or is it the right amount do you think?

MATT FITZPATRICK: No, I think it's the right amount. They're what's important. Me and my best pal who's my manager as well, we've made our own category of legends of the game.

We've kind of said, if you've got six majors you're a legend of the game. That's kind of what we like to sort of have a bit of a laugh about is that's how important the majors are. That's kind of -- you are sort of put up on this pedestal of where the greats are.

At the end of the day you only get four attempts a year, and that's if you're in them. Some guys maybe don't play four and play one or two, and you just --

Yeah, to win one is extra special, and to win one is also extra impressive given that there's so few of them, and that's why Tiger and Jack are the best.

Q. I'm just wondering, do you remember the first time you played in a pairing with Dustin Johnson and did you outdrive him at all that day?

MATT FITZPATRICK: No, funny enough not, no. I was saying to Billy today, it was a little bit weird. I wasn't -- I'll be honest, before the round when I saw I was playing with DJ, part of me was thinking, don't try and go after it when DJ hits. Like, don't try and keep up, because I know I've got some extra length.

Yeah, hitting the drives I hit this week so far and seeing where he's hit his has been quite eye-opening for me. And just, again, it's great for me to give me more confidence going into the rest of the year, rest of the next five years. It's keep doing what I'm doing, and it's paying off.

For me, I've just got to try and hopefully just take advantage more of it. If now on paper I'm hitting it past DJ, you look at the success he's had, if I can emulate that, then I'll be a very happy man.

Q. How pleased were you with the way you finished your round? You had a few birdie chances around the turn and then the few dropped shots. How proud of yourself are you to finish 2-under?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I feel like 8 is an important hole. 8 and 5 is an important hole for me particularly at that moment in time because 5 you drive it up by the green, and 8 I hit driver, 8-iron in there today on a par-5.

There's kind of almost extra pressure on those holes to pick up shots because those are where guys are going to pick up shots this week, certainly with this wind.

To take advantage of that was really positive. It was just about trying to stay patient as possible because I felt like I'd played really well all day, just not made anything.

Q. Was the frustration building at that point?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, a little bit. It was a soft bogey on 2. 3 kind of just out of position and literally it needs to be an inch left and I've got a lie, and it's an inch right, and I've not really got a shot. That's golf, but it was difficult there.

Then I felt like I hit a good shot to 25 feet right of the pin on No. 4, and you just don't have a putt. It was just impossible.

At that point, yeah, I wasn't very happy, but it's something I've told myself I've got to do better with this year, and I'd like to feel like I have done, and that's probably shown in some of my finishes of late.

Q. How have the greens been treating you out there? I know I was hanging around the 4th hole green. A lot of people had some struggles there. You had a bogey there yourself. What are your thoughts on the greens?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, the greens are in great shape. Poa annua greens tend to be a little bit sketchy normally just because they can get really bumpy, and then the whole greens grow at different rates, so it's tough to get it really smooth like bent or Bermuda.

I feel like the greens are great this week. There is some severe slope there, but it's pretty planar so it's not really catching you off guard. You get what you see. I like the greens personally, I just didn't necessarily have a good day on them today.

Q. Are you a bomber now?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, but I don't gouge it afterwards.

Q. In all seriousness, you've talked about at other courses, like, I think about the PGA this year where you turned up and you said, it's classic PGA. With how far you're hitting it now, Dustin Johnson doesn't say, I can't compete. Are you done with that kind of rhetoric?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I guess so. I mean, yeah, I guess so, yeah, because I think of golf courses I've played in the last three, four months where there's been bunkers, and it's like Billy, if I hit one and can get over it, and I'm easily getting over it, and all of a sudden it's a completely different hole.

Yeah, I definitely think the work I've done with Sasho and my coach, Mike, on hitting it longer has just been fantastic. It's really changed the way that I play the game, and like I say, I just really hope I can take advantage of it now and have more success.