BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

August 17, 2023

Matt Fitzpatrick

Olympia Fields Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Are you pleased with the round of 66?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, really pleased. Yeah, really, really, really, really, really, really pleased. Yeah, just not played great as of late. It's obviously pretty obvious. But I feel like we turned a corner kind of last Sunday really and the last few days with my driving, and that's been the difference I feel like.

Q. What made you turn the corner last Sunday with the driving?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Well, we've been working on it for a good while, but I think we kind of just found something that me and Mike could agree on and stick to, and that was the game plan that we've gone with the last four or five days, and I definitely feel the improvements.

Q. Obviously the course is playing different than 2020, but is there something you like about playing here?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I think it's a great layout. I think it's a great design. I think it's a tough golf course. Obviously the rough is up if you miss the fairway, so there's a premium on that.

If the weather stays like this, windy, dry, gets hot, I think it'll probably get back to where you were in 2020. Hopefully it gets that way.

Q. How do you sort of look at this year?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, it's disappointing. It's disappointing, there's no doubt about it. There's not really much to add to it. It's disappointing. I wanted it to be better. I felt like U.S. Open was successful, Masters was successful, particularly U.S. Open with the way I drove the ball. Billy said to me, it's like - with a few curse words in there - how the hell have you finished top 20 in the U.S. Open driving the ball like me. That's what Billy said.

That's what it feels like. Feels like I've been hitting driver like Billy. But yeah, I think there's still -- I think I've still got this week, next week potentially and a few more tournaments to come, so I can still turn it around.

Q. Did something fall off after you won?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I wouldn't say it fell off. I would just say overall my driving has not been where I want it. Not hitting enough fairways, and you just can't do that out here. For me who's always been relying on good driving and been a strength of my game hitting fairways to not, it just makes it difficult.

Q. We put a lot of emphasis on results and numbers. How do you measure growth year over year?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I think you look at -- well, that's a tough question, asking me, but there's probably a million ways to do it.

I think you look at your strokes gained numbers. I think that's probably the most telling. You could argue that you could probably win two or three times but have worse strokes gained numbers.

You look at Scottie, for example, even though he's probably not won as much as he'd like, he's played unbelievable all season, and you can't knock that, whereas I want to say I've won as many times as Scottie this year, which seems pretty bizarre.

I think it's measured more than just wins. Wins are nice, but for me, if I could consistently hit a strokes gained number throughout every single year, gradually improve, that's the sign of improvement.

Q. How do you think you're a better player than last year?

MATT FITZPATRICK: My irons are better. My irons are better. I feel like putting is sort of very random as it is. There's often times where you get hot and then get cold, but for me, definitely feel more comfortable with my irons and distance control, just driver that's let me down this year.

Q. Your little brother had a pretty good day today. He's obviously playing on a different tour and a long ways away, but how much are you texting one another and having little competitions within the competition --

MATT FITZPATRICK: No competitions. No competitions. I just want him to do well. I'm just full of support and just want him to -- his win the other week pretty much hopefully secured DP World Tour for next year, and hopefully can just keep playing well.

Q. How would you compare playing in your first Ryder Cup, the pressure of that, to the pressure of trying to win the U.S. Open?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Oh, far different. Far different. Far less pressure in a Ryder Cup. Like a lot less pressure. Particularly in my first one. I played twice, so I wouldn't say I felt any pressure at all. Far from it.

Then by the time I was in my second -- played my second one, I was a more established golfer, and I feel like it's a comfortable area to be in.

Q. Your first tee shot wasn't as nerve-racking as say coming down the stretch --

MATT FITZPATRICK: Not even close. Yeah, not even close.