TGL PRESENTED BY SOFI: JUPITER LINKS GC VS NEW YORK GOLF CLUB

February 18, 2025

Cameron Young

Rickie Fowler

Matt Fitzpatrick

SoFi Center

New York Golf Club

Press Conference

New York Golf Club 10, Jupiter Links GC 3

THE MODERATOR: Some opening thoughts on getting your first win under your belt?

CAMERON YOUNG: Really nice to be on the other side of it. I obviously missed the first match, but it was not a good feeling leaving here a few weeks ago getting shut out. To come out and win a bunch of holes tonight was more kind of how I hoped it would go and fun to play some golf like that tonight.

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, definitely something we needed after the first two matches, having not won very many holes at all. That was what we were hoping for, and it was nice to see it all come together.

Q. A couple par-3s early, Matt, you hit one close and then Rickie, followed with a close shot on those two shots. Were those holes you gave a good amount of practice to in your shoot-arounds or anything specific on those two shots that propelled you guys, gave you some momentum?

MATT FITZPATRICK: For me personally, it was a really nice number, so that worked well. I do actually feel like I'm hitting the ball a bit better than I was a few weeks ago, so that's probably helpful, too. It worked out really well. I felt like we all hit some really good shots today, and I think that was the difference. I think if we do that the next two matches, I think we'll be in with a good chance.

Q. Cam, obviously you've teed it up next to Tiger before, but what would you have thought 10 years ago if someone told you you're going to be teeing it up one-v-one versus Tiger on national television?

CAMERON YOUNG: Yeah, it's cool. I think the vast majority of people my age hold him as their golf idol. I've actually never played with him before. I've played in a few tournaments that he's played in, but I've never played with him. I've played in the group behind him, I think the group in front of him maybe once.

But yeah, anytime you get to be around someone that is that much a legend of the game, it's really cool. It's something that wouldn't have been in the front of my mind as something that was going to happen 10 years ago, but I'd love for it to be in a tournament setting on the PGA TOUR at some point, as well.

But I'll take what I can get. It's a cool experience.

Q. Do you change up the wedges, throw a different wood in the bag? Is there anything you do to mix it up equipment-wise coming in here to the SoFi Center?

RICKIE FOWLER: I haven't done anything. The only thing I've thought of maybe doing with the bunkers is maybe going to a wider soled lob wedge, but no, I'm playing the same stuff that I play week in and week out.

MATT FITZPATRICK: I never change anything, but tonight I changed putters, and I actually made a putt. That was helpful.

Yeah, I never change anything week to week, but I felt like mixing it up tonight, and yeah, it was a bit better.

CAMERON YOUNG: I've got all the same that I play every week.

Q. How would you guys assess the first half of the TGL season? And obviously the change with the hammer was a big difference. Are there any other changes you guys would like to see going forward?

RICKIE FOWLER: I think it's been great. I think going into it, everyone just kind of had to be open-minded, and glad with the hammer change and looking at any ways to be able to make it more exciting and more competitive. We could have maybe used the hammer change earlier on our end.

But no, I think that's what's great about this being the first year and everyone being open to it evolving and using this as -- I wouldn't say a test run, but being willing to make some subtle changes and things that'll make it better. I think from what we saw yesterday, definitely those three matches yesterday, does seem like the hammer change made it even more exciting than what it was.

Q. I know you've committed to the Cognizant, which is next week, and you're playing here, I believe, Monday in TGL. What will this event and this league do for the Cognizant and vice versa with them both being in Palm Beach Gardens next week?

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I'm looking forward to next week, one, with earlier Monday I'll play in Jack's pro-am at Bear's Club, follow it up with TGL at night and then roll into the Cognizant. So it's a week I always look forward to.

Fun being able to sleep in your own bed and play a tournament. We actually have an outing out there tomorrow at PGA National, so may use that as a little bit of a practice round, so I may not have to go on the site potentially until Wednesday because part of it is resting up, making sure that I'll be good to go with all the lead-up and the stuff on Monday.

But I feel like being in here and playing in TGL, it's definitely a different setting, different kind of nerves when you're stepping up to hit shots and the fast pace of it. But that can also be something maybe come Thursday morning or afternoon when I'm teeing off, I'll just tee it up and go and I'll have already had a few shots under the gun.

Q. I'm curious about your preparation. Is it any different to play TGL match than it was the last couple weeks say for the Signature Events or any of the other tournaments, a normal tournament round? Is there anything you do different, or is it the same?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I would say the same, yeah. I've not changed anything in my prep, I wouldn't say. Yeah, same for me.

RICKIE FOWLER: We come in and basically play a practice round. Since we came home from Torrey, a lot of times it's trying to balance, and it's not like you have a bunch of free time to just come hang out in here, although it would be fun to just mess around in here a bunch. But I would say our prep for these three have been the same, come in for a couple hours and at least see kind of what we're going to play that night and rest up and tee it up.

Q. Pete Alonso from the Mets, Jeff McNeil is here out there with you tonight. Pete led you out of the tunnel. Which one of you guys would be the best baseball player?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Cam.

CAMERON YOUNG: I would hope me. Yeah, I had a lot of experience playing baseball through about eighth grade, so I'm rusty --

MATT FITZPATRICK: I have zero experience since we don't play that in England.

CAMERON YOUNG: Pitching is a different story, but throwing I think I probably have them.

Q. Coming into tonight, you guys were without a win, you're sixth in the standings. You move to fourth now. It opens some chances now for you guys to have a goal of still making the playoffs. Is that something you guys talked about or thought about going into the match tonight?

RICKIE FOWLER: We all knew that we were going to need -- I think we knew it was kind of an unspoken thing. We were going to need a big night at some point to at least kind of get the mojo going and the momentum the right way. Nice to do it tonight versus waiting a match or two.

Q. Were you guys paying close enough attention to realize Tiger grabbed a wedge when he was actually 199 away?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah.

Q. What was your reaction?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Just, that looks like a wedge. It was a little bit odd. And it went like a wedge.