Q. Patrick, just kind of your thoughts on the match and then moving on to the weekend.
PATRICK CANTLAY: We had three different weathers today. It was windy and rainy. Then it was calm and perfect. Then it got windy and sunny.
I played really solid all day, minus the 12th hole. Fortunately, it didn't cost me two shots because it's only match play.
Q. We've talked each day after you've won. You've said you played solid each day. To you what is solid golf?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Just in every hole and leaving it in the correct spots out here and giving yourself lots of looks.
There's some hard holes out here, but there's a lot of gettable holes, so you've got to birdie those holes in the midsection on the back.
Q. Brian is very much like you. You guys are the grinders or bulldog type mentality. Was it good to go into a match with a guy like that heading into be able to win that, knowing there is going to be matches like that this weekend?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I knew it was going to be a tough match. We've played obviously in this tournament before, so we've traded blows back and forth. It was a tight match all day.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about escaping 16 with a tie from down in the pit there?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I hit a really nice pitch. Obviously that shot came off exactly as I planned it. Fortunate for him to miss that putt. I mean, he hit a great shot in there, and I wanted to at least put the pressure on him to have to make that putt.
Q. Same thing on 17. You hit a tee shot in there nice and tight. He had a good look at his putt, and it looked good for probably all but one foot of it. Again, fortunate there or just confident to step up and make the putt to win it?
PATRICK CANTLAY: It was a good number for me. It was just a full wedge. So I was looking to try and hit one in there close. I think that's a birdie hole today with as soft as the greens are.
Q. And confidence level heading into the knockout stages?
PATRICK CANTLAY: I've been playing really well for the last month or so. I'm excited about all the big tournament golf we have coming up. I've never made it to the weekend in this event before, so I'm excited to get into that match tomorrow against Sam.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports