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THE MODERATOR: Matt Fitzpatrick is with us now at the 108th PGA Championship. Welcome to Aronimink and your 11th PGA Championship. Several wins for you there are this year. How are you feeling coming into this season's second major.MATT FITZPATRICK: Looking forward to the week. Just played 18 there. The course is in fantastic shape. Some interesting green complexes which we'll have to navigate, which will be fun.Yeah, looking forward to the week and just getting some work in over the next few days.Q. About an hour ago, Keegan was in here talking about celebrating the PGA Championship by drinking Bud Light and having cereal with his buddies. That's one way of celebrating. But how have you celebrated with your brother? How have you been celebrating these last couple weeks, given up so much more history than even with a bunch of your buddies?MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, we've not really had a chance to be honest. Win at Harbour Town and straight to Zurich and he was straight to Doral. So I kind of needed a rest. We've honestly not had much chance to kind of sit down and take it all in. I think we are both off next week.So maybe we'll do something next week. But neither of us are drinkers, so we won't be doing anything crazy, I wouldn't have thought.Q. What have you made of Alex's performance, given we are outside The City of Brotherly Love? Will that spirit go out the window if you are both in contention this week?MATT FITZPATRICK: I think impressed more than anything. Super proud of him for how he's been playing and following up the win at Zurich with two brilliant, brilliant weeks, both at Doral and obviously last week as well.I think to battle back how he did yesterday after the start was really impressive, and I think he should credit himself because I think in years gone by, probably could have gotten away from him pretty quickly. To be in contention right to the 70th hole was a testament to how far he's come.Obviously we had not really been in contention yet together. I think once on the DP World Tour in Switzerland, but yeah, I would imagine it's going to be a weird feeling when that time does come.Q. Do you think your 2026 golf is the best version of golf for you? Is it the best golf you've ever played?MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, definitely. Definitely. 2022 was my kind of golden period that I, you know, sort of said for two, three years afterwards, that this was always the best period that I had ever played.But obviously the start of this year has definitely eclipsed that because of obviously, a, the results, but b, the underlying numbers themselves have definitely been better, yeah.Q. Forgive me if this is a little abstract but how did you know or did you know when you were in 2022 that this was possible? What do you put your faith in to know that there could be an even higher level for you beyond what this year is?MATT FITZPATRICK: I mean, I think just my curiosity and work ethic, I think. The people around me. The people that I trust to advise me, whether it be Phil Kenyon, Mark Blackburn, Cressey Sports Performance where I train.The people that I work with I have a lot of faith in. I trust them with the information they are giving me because it's probably well researched and it's trusted.And then also from my side of curiosity of looking for those small, small percentages, how does that look, I think that's ultimately where you're always trying to go. And you know, in a slightly different topic, in a way, but you see guys that have the best periods of their play, and then they say, oh, I'm going to get a new driver or I'm going to change my putter and stuff like that. And you always think from the outside, like why is he doing that? Like, you know, that seems so stupid because he's played so well and it seems odd.But at the same time, you can kind of -- as a player myself, you can understand that because it's looking for those small gains. You might see something in a putter and go, okay, that might help my alignment a little bit better or maybe you see a driver, maybe I can get a couple extra ball speed with the same winning.You can understand that with how top players have that curiosity to try and improve, and you know, all being well, you can continue to improve. The game of golf isn't necessarily that way. But I always enjoy looking at players graphs on data golf. Like you can see their career span, and there is very few, I would say, very, very few, that don't at least have a drop-off and then obviously they go back up again. But that is the game of golf. You always have to take the rough with the smooth.Q. I would think for most of the professional career in Europe and the few spots here that Alex got endless questions about Matt. How enjoyable is it for you to talk about him and at what point does it become annoying?MATT FITZPATRICK: Well, I have to get used to that now, Doug, because he's had it for much longer than me. I'm probably known as Alex's brother now, as opposed to him being Matt's brother.Listen, I love talking about my brother. It's an amazing position to be in to have that privilege to talk about how well he's doing. I'd so much rather have these questions, conversations, than the opposite of, you know, why is he not playing well and whatnot.So it's a fantastic position to be in, and I've said already, it's his career. It's his choice. I'll there be to help him as much as I can, if he wants that. But at the same time, you know, I want him to be able to make his own decisions.Q. Secondly, back to the course and the 18 holes you played today. There's, I think, 180 bunkers on a course renowned for especially fairway bunkering. What do you see as the biggest strength of this course. What's going to be the best defense for the week?MATT FITZPATRICK: It will be the green complexes yeah, for sure. They are very severe in spots. It will be interesting to see where obviously the pins get put. There's not -- there's certainly two or three holes where you can't have more than four pins.So, you know, that's going to be interesting for those ones, and I think the green complexes is the biggest thing. I think I look at the golf course that I just played, and it definitely favors length off the tee because a lot of the bunkers will be taken out of play.So I think for me, the greens are going to be the defense for the week.Q. Another Alex question if that's all right. I wondered how different the major week dynamic is like for you having him here, as well, and whether playing practice rounds, I believe you share a house with him, whether that makes things more relaxed and frees you up in any way?MATT FITZPATRICK: No. It's the same as ever. This is the second time we've shared a house at a major, when he qualified for The Open in '23. It will be the same preparation for me. I'm go about it the same way. He'll ask me when I'm playing and he'll either join me or he'll kind of fit in elsewhere.I'm very strict on my routine. I want to do this and I need to see whoever at this time. If he wants to fit that in, that's great, and obviously I always way, we want to play together. But yeah, I kind of, again, want him to be able to do his own thing.Q. Going back to you playing the best golf of your career, was there a feeling you had before all the wins that you were playing the best or do the results tell you that?MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, definitely. Definitely. I think leading up to THE PLAYERS, I didn't play very well at Bay Hill. But leading up to the -- leading up to that point, I'd start the season pretty well. And obviously I'm massive into the data and whatnot.My tee-to-green numbers were really, really solid at that point. I think I was certainly -- I think I was certainly top 10, maybe, tee-to-green on maybe two of the weeks on the West Coast. Maybe even top 10 or top 5 ball-striking, maybe, I think.So I feel like that is a really good sign. And I do remember having conversations with my team, sort of like feel like I'm playing well. I'm just not getting anything out of the round. And I wasn't putting very well at the start of the year. It was very, very average, not really making anything. Giving myself chances not making them.And obviously kind of cashed that all in from THE PLAYERS to, you know, to Zurich. I definitely felt the signs were there. Obviously golf is a very different sport to others. You can certainly have one really good week and then not play well for awhile.But I definitely felt there was some good consistency earlier in the season.Q. Along those lines, your season has just been incredible on so many different levels, right. So how much have you been cherishing this time in your overall career, and what have you learned most about yourself during these last couple months?MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I mean, I'm trying to cherish it as much as possible. It's all happening very quickly. There's a few things that's kind of stuck with me over the years that other players have said.One that I got last year was Scottie talking about how, you know, we work so hard and we win a golf tournament and we have 10, 15 minutes of enjoyment and then you're like, right, okay, back to the next one.That really stuck with me because I was very intent on saying, well, okay, if I'm lucky enough to win again, that I take it in. I enjoy it. I really think about it and enjoy it with the people that it means something to, as well as myself.So I've tried to kind of take that into this year, particularly given the three wins I've had, and to me, that's obviously been fantastic.And then I think in terms of the way the season is, it can be such a blur at times, and I think it is trying to take a step back and kind of remember those moment, even on a week like this and think about, oh, yeah, I won the Valspar or I won Harbour Town, whatever it may be.It's about thinking those moments, those great times that you've had, regardless of results this week, last week, next week, whatever it is, it's making sure you remind yourself of those good times.Q. Here we are in the northeast; traditional, historical golf course. You did well at Brookline. Are there similarities between those --MATT FITZPATRICK: No.Q. -- courses? And is there anything that gives you confidence in this course about your game?MATT FITZPATRICK: No, I don't see any similarities this week. I would love to say I do.But the course setup already is one thing that -- the greens at Brookline are a little smaller. Much more slope here. The fairway is just fairway and then rough, and Brookline was staggered. I always think -- I'm very biased, but I think that is the best form of setup; that it penalizes wider tee shots but tee shots that would only just miss the fairway aren't really punished.Yeah, I don't really see the similarities. But you know, it's a great golf course and it's a demanding golf course, nonetheless, and you have to hit good golf shots. I've enjoyed playing the golf course out there today for sure, and I think that's always a nice feeling to have going into a tournament to be able to feel like, you know, if you get to a hole, and you go, oh, I like the look of this hole, or I feel like I can play this hole well or whatever.It's nice just being out there this morning.Q. Each of the majors has their own identity. I know you would take any of the three that you haven't won yet but of the three that you haven't, which do you think most fits your game?MATT FITZPATRICK: I don't know. That's a good question. I do feel like the Masters does suit me. I don't feel like I've ever had my best stuff there. I felt like this year I played solid tee-to-green and made zero putts.And I remember specifically, I think I led putting in 2019 and hit it terribly. So I do feel like I have something there for sure. I just don't feel like it's necessarily got out yet there.PGA is probably, I would say, maybe a little bit harder for me. I think maybe it depends -- depends on, again, the course setup.U.S. Open obviously I love.I think The Open, being able to control your ball flight, I feel like I can do that pretty well.I would probably say that the Masters, I feel like suits me the most. I just don't feel like I've shown that yet. That would be my take on that.Q. Were your parents always going to spend as much time over here going from tournament to tournament, or did they change plans after the victory?MATT FITZPATRICK: No. They changed plans. They were going back after Zurich, and then they changed plans to stay through to this week. They are going to go home after this week, and then they will be back later in the summer.Q. Matt, when you talked about looking at data golf and seeing guys's careers kind of ebb and flow, with that knowledge do you put any extra added pressure on yourself when you're in a moment like this to get the most out of your early play?MATT FITZPATRICK: I wouldn't say I put any more pressure on myself. I obviously know the situation that I'm in, even before playing well or playing -- I know how my game is, like I just do.And I don't think it is a case of putting in any more pressure on. Particularly now, it could be easy to go the other way of, well, I've started well. I've had three wins. I can just kind of coast to the end of the season.But that's not really what I'm about. That's the worst thing I would want to do. So if anything, it's trying to let it happen still. You know, I feel like my body feels similar as the last few weeks and swing feels similar, and it's obviously just about letting it happen and trying to get in these positions that can give yourself chances of winning, winning more golf tournaments.Q. You're a very data-driven numbers guy and I've heard that your brother is not as much. Is that accurate? Why do you think that is? And are there other differences we don't know about between you as brothers? Is he a neat freak, messy guy, things like that?MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, we are different. He is messy, I would say. We shared a bathroom last week, actually, in the house that we shared, and it was a little bit messier than my side of the bathroom, I'll say.But yeah, he's -- I think he probably wanted to create his own path. He wanted to do -- he's not really numbers orientated, and he's got his own feelings and thoughts.I feel like with his golf swing, it seems to be a little bit more feel and how that's working. Obviously my golf swing is feel. Everyone's is kind of feel. But I definitely, you know, I like to know the numbers on the TrackMan and I like to know my historical numbers on the TrackMan, how is it compared to now and various other different pieces of information that I've written down or collected, I can use that to go back to.I personally just think that's kind of good practice, not being over analytical. I think that's probably just good practice. I think Alex is kind of definitely more go with the flow.But I do think he's doing not -- I don't want to say a better job, but he is doing a good job of where he is at the minute just trying to continue that, like good routines, good consistency in his preparation, and I definitely feel like I can see that in his own game and his own plans during the week now, which I think is really helpful and beneficial to him.So that is kind of similar to me but it is different in his own way.THE MODERATOR: Thanks for your time, Matt. Have a good week.FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports167268-1-5464 2026-05-11 19:48:00 GMT
