SENTRY TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

January 7, 2023

Matt Fitzpatrick

Plantation Course at Kapalua

Quick Quotes

Q. How would you characterize the round today?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Just really, really steady. Just really, really happy with today's round. Just felt very, very stress-free. Other than the first hole where we just kind of, it was completely unexpected how the ball came out. We were expecting a flier or for it to come out normal. It came out dead. We've not had one of those all week. That was the only time I felt under pressure. Other than that it was stress-free which was very, very nice.

Q. Do you feel like you're kind of working your way back into competitive form?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I guess so, yeah, definitely. I practiced a little bit after Christmas. Not done loads, but kind of knew where my game was at before. I kind of played a little bit. It was just kind of doing more of what I ended the year with really.

I think my changes to my irons has been a positive one. We kind of put weights in the grip to make them a little bit more fade biased, which has felt a little bit more comfortable out there. I think that on top of everything else has been a real positive so far.

Q. How much weight did you put in 'em?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I think it's about eight grams. Might be a bit more.

Q. Just in the grip?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Just in the tip. In the grip, yeah. I actually spoke to Mr. Nicklaus about it because someone told me he did it. I asked him and, yeah, we sort of had a quick chat about it on why he did it and stuff.

Q. You live obviously down there and you spend time over there. Do you guys talk a lot with Mr. Nicklaus?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I feel very, very lucky that I do, yeah. I spent a lot of time with him. Particularly January of last year. I had the whole of January off so I was practicing at the Bear's Club. I ended up having lunch with him three or four occasions and we were just chatting about life and golf and stuff. For me growing up it's a dream to be able to talk to someone like that, let alone one of the greatest if not the greatest to play the game.

Q. Anything in particular you kind of pick his brain about as far as golf or life?

MATT FITZPATRICK: No, nothing in particular. Kind of just general chit chat about life. What he's up to and he was asking me about my life off the golf course and stuff, which was quite nice. I talked to him a little about his course design and stuff.

Q. What did he tell you about the irons specifically?

MATT FITZPATRICK: He just said that he did it because it just stopped his hands over rotating it. It obviously kept them, in my terms I guess it would be felt more held off. So I think that's obviously what suited him.

Q. What have you done to enjoy your first trip here in Maui?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Really enjoyed it, yeah. Me and my girlfriend got here Friday. We played this course Saturday, Sunday together, which was fun. First time I had seen it. So that was nice.

Then basically spent the afternoon just at the beach. So, yeah, it was pretty relaxed.

Q. Are you a beach guy?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I would say so, yeah. As long as it's not too windy.