THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions, please. You're here in Japan for the Olympic games and now you find yourself in the last group of the final round. Just talk about your excitement to play well tomorrow.
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: It's been determined that I'm going to be playing the final round, the final pairing tomorrow, but to be honest it hasn't settled in just yet, but I'm going to focus on having fun and trying to play well.
Q. If you had been told when you were recovering from COVID that you would be in the final group with a chance to win would you have expected that?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I definitely could not have believed it. To be honest, the endurance part of my game has been struggling a little bit, but it's held up, thankfully it's held up the last few days, so it's going to hopefully it's going to hold up tomorrow as well.
Q. The feeling of being in the last group as you've done many times, how is it different here from say Memorial or Phoenix or another tournament?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: This is my first time playing the Olympics, so I'm not sure what to experience, but I'm sure it's going to be a new great experience, so and also not sure what kind of preparation I'll be able to put in before tomorrow's round, but I'm going to do my best.
Q. Earlier in the week you mentioned that you were a little bit nervous because you haven't been able to prep as much as you would like to because of COVID. How are you being able it play well so far?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I'm not really sure.
Q. Are you being able to play well -- are you playing well because you're familiar with this golf course from the past experience?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: After the course renovations I've been only to play once before this week, so it's not like I have too much information and resources available to me, but I have been able to play well and hopefully I can continue that tomorrow.
Q. It's a packed leaderboard, how do you imagine the day tomorrow?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I'm going to focus on what I can do and what the factors that I have control over of.
Q. You appear to be tired following the 12th hole. How were you able to maintain your concentration level within the weather?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: Everyone's experiencing the same thing, everyone's hot in this weather and of course my endurance level is not up to a hundred percent, but saying that would be an excuse. I think what worked for me out there today was that I kept focusing on trying to finish in good position after today.
Q. This week I saw you smiling a few times out there on the course when you made some poor shots. Is it because you haven't played a tournament in a while or is it because you're a little bit kinder to the game?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: Definitely not kinder to the game.
Q. You seem to be putting really well, is there anything that you found on the course that's working for you in regards to the putting?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I didn't really putt well today, so now I'm going to go out there and work on it for a little bit so that I can putt well tomorrow.
Q. Following the third round is there any difference with regards to your nervousness of being, of playing the final round tomorrow in the Olympics versus the major championship?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: There's not much difference to it, but in the Olympics the fact that the third place is still celebrated as well as a second, there's a nice thing waiting for you even when you're third place. But the major championship only the winner will be celebrated. So not sure going into tomorrow what my motivation will be, but I'm going to focus on playing a good golf.
Q. Out there on the course I heard some cheer and celebration for your play. There are no fans out there on the course, but does it feel like playing at home in Japan?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: It does not feel like we don't have fans out here.
Q. You were walking in some putts out there on the course. Is it because you are playing well or you felt comfortable with the putt?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: That was purely luck, it wasn't on the line.
Q. You've obviously played with Xander in the final round at the Masters. What will you personally be taking from that experience when you tee up tomorrow?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I played with Xander in the third and fourth day together at the Masters, I'm sure Xander will come out determined to win the gold medal tomorrow, so hopefully on my end too I'm going to come out strong on the mental side.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports