TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 25, 2022

Matt Fitzpatrick

East Lake Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Nice way to finish with an eagle on the last. How would you characterize your day?

MATT FITZPATRICK: It was good, yeah. It was obviously a great day, bogey-free rounds are pretty much my favorite. So yeah, I was out of position a few times. Managed to get myself back into position and get up-and-down well today, which was nice.

My game felt a lot better than it did last week. My coach flew in Monday after I told him to come on Sunday. So yeah, we got some good work in Tuesday and Wednesday and definitely felt comfortable out there today.

Q. What was some of the stuff you were trying to work on that didn't feel as good last week?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I was just out of sync last week. I just I think probably a bit of time off, probably not having his eyes on -- having not seen him for three, probably four weeks, three or four weeks, just didn't really get a chance to do anything in Memphis and played quite well at a golf course that I like.

So yeah, we're just sort of cleaning up a few things and tried to just find a feeling that would maybe be comfortable.

Q. Did you feel like the course was kind of there for the taking, especially if you hit the fairway today? Was it a little softer?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yes and no, yeah. I understand why you could go even lower, I guess. For me, though, you hit a bad drive, you're out of position, you're not looking to make a birdie from there. Some golf courses you are or you can. You're just trying to make a par.

It's about missing it on the fat side and giving yourself the best chance of up-and-downs. I felt like I did that well today, and I think that's what's really important around this place is to do that.

Q. Are you taking this week as any other golf tournament, even though there's a staggered start?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, definitely. I'm trying to. I'm sure come Sunday it might feel a little bit different if I'm in the mix.

But for me on the whole, it's just trying to into the golf tournament, trying to play well, and trying to win it.

Q. I'm not sure I've ever paid attention to what you have coming up after this week. You're not eligible for the Presidents Cup, unfortunately --

MATT FITZPATRICK: No, fortunately, not unfortunately. (Laughing).

I'm going to play Wentworth, and then I'm going to play Italy. So there's a week off and then those two. Then I'll play a couple more in Europe and then I'll only play CJ Cup probably in the fall. Then sort of the season is over, really.

Q. Go down to Hero at all, to the Bahamas?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah.

Q. Are you in?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I hope so.

Q. Do you know people?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I assume so. I don't know. I'll be there.

Q. Since we caught you in the dark the other day, just your reaction to the updated schedule, the PIP and the things that were discussed --

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I think it's great. I think it's big positives. It's great that the TOUR have been proactive on that front and doing what a lot of the top players, Rory, Tiger, have talked about.

I think it's definitely steps in the right direction, and I think next year the TOUR will be stronger and the following year and the following year, it'll keep getting better.

Q. Do you like the idea of committing to tournaments that you'd have to play?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I do, yeah. I don't really have an issue with it. You know, there's a couple -- at the end of the day, in my opinion, you've just got to suck it up. If you want things to be better, that's the way it's going to have to be, and I'm all in on that. I've got no issues.

Sometimes you've got to give a little, but yeah, some weeks I might not enjoy those mandatory events, but I'm more than happy to do it.

Q. Lastly on that, kind of on that topic, this part over here, I guess in America, is still working its way through courts, that will be sorted whenever it gets sorted. Are you at all curious about how Europe responds to it, as it relates to joint memberships, Ryder Cup, all that stuff?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, yeah, I am. I am. It's going to be odd seeing certain people, obviously, at Wentworth. That is going to be a bit weird, and obviously it's a little bit disappointing. But they won their little thing.

But yeah, it's going to be interesting to see what happens. Obviously they're not quite in as strong a position as the PGA TOUR are in terms of regulations or whatever it is. Yeah, I guess we'll just have to see how it plays out.