SCOTT CROCKETT: Matt, many congratulations. Thank you for coming in and joining us, the DP World Tour Championship winner. How does that sound to you.
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Pretty amazing. It's been an incredible week, and obviously delighted to get it over line.
SCOTT CROCKETT: And also for the third time, that's pretty special, too.
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Yeah, definitely. Three times is very nice. The names that have done it three times, it's nice to be a part of that. You know, hopefully use this and go into next year, as well.
SCOTT CROCKETT: You were three behind with six to play, a run of pars in the middle of your round. What were your thoughts at that point? Did you think you still had a chance?
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Yeah, it's weird, there's not many leaderboards out there. So it was hard to see what was going on. I didn't necessarily know that I was three behind with six to play.
So I did say to Dan on 15, "We need at least two to finish to give ourselves a chance here." Obviously the one on 15 was really nice. It was a really good putt, and a good putt on 14, as well, actually, and the birdie on 18 was obviously nice.
Going up 18, I taught 17 would be the number for the playoff. I thought if I could make one, Rory might be on 17 already and he might have a birdie to make it. But very different to how I actually thought it was going to be.
It was obviously a nice way to get into the playoff.
SCOTT CROCKETT: And you said to Tim on SKY that this obviously is a win for you but it's also a win for the team behind you after things haven't been going so well. Can you expand on that?
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Of course, I mean, there's been changes in my team this year. You know, some of them not necessarily ideal situations. But it was just where my game was, I guess.
The changes, the addition of Mark, and Dan as well, on the bag, it's just been really good. I can't really deny it. I can't really say anything otherwise. It's been very, very good, the knowledge that Mark has shared and what Dan does, and myself and my own game and my ability. I really feel like this is the culmination of sort of the last two or three months of the season.
Q. Given where you were over the summer, still trying to find your form, how satisfying is this second half of the season?
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Yeah, incredibly satisfying. After winning the U.S. Open, even in Rome, you feel like you're never going to hit a bad golf shot again. 2023 was a great year for me. I had a nice little -- got my first point in the Ryder Cup, won in Harbour Town and I won at the Dunhill, but I wouldn't necessarily say I came away and I'm playing well. There were things that I wasn't necessarily happy with in my game and the direction it was.
2024 was a good reset, let's try again, and nothing ever really happened. Obviously got worse as this year started. So to turn it around and be in this position now, and to end the season with a win, yeah, it is beyond special. It is beyond special.
And I said that to Iain Carter. I said that -- because I went through that phase that I didn't play very well. When I got the chance to hopefully win again, that I would really enjoy it.
Q. Given what Rory did at The Irish Open --
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Yeah, of course I thought he was going to whip driver down the right and get in the playoff. The guy's that good, especially on a golf course like this that he's had so much success around. There's a handful of players I think in the world of golf that you don't necessarily -- they are not on your a list of people to play against in a playoff. Obviously he's right up there.
Q. When Rory's putt goes in, are you seeing it on the TV delay or do you hear the noise from the crowd?
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: I knew it was on a good line on the TV but obviously the noise of the crowd.
Q. What's going through your mind then?
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I'm watching obviously the two opportunities.
Rasmus had an opportunity, as well. Credit to him. He needed a fantastic finish today to get his card and I think he did it, so fair play to him.
Obviously when that slides by, there's one down. But the problem was is it's Rory McIlroy and the putt was on the same line. So obviously at that point, okay, good chance he's going to hole this and going to go into a playoff.
It's obviously happening quite slow. Everything is slow. You kind of want to speed up so you know what's coming. But in my mind, I was like, okay, this is going to a playoff whether you like it or not, you've got to accept that.
Q. When you won here in 2016, everyone was maybe a bit surprised given your lack of distance at that time, but you really played well that year, as well, and then you added 40, 50 yards of distance after that. What's so special about this golf course that seems to bring out the best in you?
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Obviously I couldn't tell you. Honestly I couldn't tell you. I should know the statistics but I honestly couldn't tell you. The greens are a good speed. Pins are tucked. You have to hit fairways. In my opinion, you have to hit everything well, you really do. You have to hit your driver well, you have to hit your irons well, and you have to chip it well and you have to putt it well.
I know that sounds obvious but there are golf courses where you don't really need to do that, and I feel like this is one that really tests every aspect of your game.
I think for me, as well, I like the look of the golf course. I think the tee shot suits my eye. There's nothing off-putting about it, and when you have success here, your confidence grows the more you play it, and so I think that's a big part of why I continue to play well here.
Q. On the course when you won, who looked the happiest was Rory McIlroy. He said a few things to you. Would you like to repeat what he said?
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: We were laughing, before the playoff, he said -- inaudible -- he kind of laughed about that. He kind of said congratulations and great end of the season for me. There's just not many people in the game better than him, not just a golfer, but just as a person.
He's achieved so much in the game. It would be very easy to have a very large head and basically just like himself very, very much, and he's the polar opposite, he really is. He cares so much about other people, this tour and the game of golf, and that shows in how he is each and every day.
You know, it's just a real privilege to call him a friend and be on a Ryder Cup Team with him and achieve those things together, and obviously play golf against him at this time in the world of golf where he is one of the best players, if not the best player in the world.
Q. During that period where you were struggling, and then you saw Rory playing the Masters, and a month later, you got into your own form. You worked a lot for that. But was Rory's win and all that, getting that Masters victory, was that motivation, as well?
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Of course. Everyone's got their own feeling, their feeling, their thoughts. You know, watching him in that playoff and succeeding was the culmination of everything he's ever worked for, and to achieve that was very special, and to watch it was cool, as well. To see it week-in and week-out after that, definitely get to talk to him and understand his thoughts and feelings and processes and whatnot.
Yeah, definitely there's things you can take from that, but from my own side, I have things I want to achieve and things that I needed to do to get out of position I was in.
Q. A big win like this after two years, what does that mean, your belief in yourself that you can come back and win and you did?
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Definitely, definitely, I've said this already, it was the lowest I've ever been out on the golf course, and the worst hole I played -- inaudible -- obviously when that happens you feel like things have to change. It's easy to say now, the only way to go is up from there but easier said than done.
To end the year and win this tournament is very special, and I really want to make sure that I thoroughly enjoy it.
Q. When you are going head-to-head against Rory, what's your mindset? What do you tell yourself?
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Just got to play my own game. It's not like I'm going to hit driver and out-drive him or try anything silly. I got to 18-under doing what I do. He got to 18-under doing what he does. It's just what I do -- I hit 3-wood off the tee because my driver -- he obviously can carry the water. Obviously sticking to your own game and knowing what works and going with that.
SCOTT CROCKETT: Okay, I think we are all done, Matt, many, many congratulations. Enjoy this victory. You deserve it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports