THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Matt McCarty to the interview room here at the 2024 Shriners Children's Open. Matt, coming off your victory last week at the Black Desert Championship. Have you had a chance to soak it in? What's it been like trying to refocus for this week?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, it's been crazy. Obviously being in Vegas after the win it's pretty easy to celebrate. We had four of our college buddies come in last night so we had a lot of fun.
It's been a good week so far, so today we'll start refocusing. I'll let you know how it's going later.
Q. We were just talking, first time seeing TPC Summerlin. Getting to play yesterday, what were some of your first impressions?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, it's a good course. I think it'll firm up a lot this week. The greens are getting quick. I know with the weather it's getting windy, so we'll see how that it.
But, yeah, it'll be tough. Yeah, very comfortable still. I guess it's nice for me to take it a little easier yesterday and today, conserve some energy. Still desert golf. Very similar to kind of TPC Scottsdale and a lot of courses I grew up on in the desert.
It will be a lot of fun. Yeah, it's a good place and I'm really excited to be here.
Q. I mean, before the win last week you were mostly set up for next season being in The PLAYERS off your Korn Ferry TOUR points list. How does the outlook change for you personally for next season considering what you were able to accomplish last week?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I mean, it's kind of a whirlwind. It's just unreal getting into Sentry and the Masters and having a few more opportunities. I think now the focus will switch a little bit of now being in I guess three out of the four majors, so just kind of focusing on those weeks and how everything is going, and really looking forward to this challenge and kind of seeing how it feels and also kind of how my game will translate out there.
But, I mean, getting into Augusta doesn't still really feel real at this point. Definitely looking forward to that the most I would say.
Q. I think you said you met Fowler or he congratulated you, Rickie, is that right?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah.
Q. What's that like, seeing people that you watched on TV and actually there is no TV now, it's just...
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, it's pretty unreal being in the TV I think. Yeah, it's just crazy. Like him and Gary Woodland came up to me and dapped me up and said congrats. That's pretty insane to be at that place now.
Yeah, it's just really cool. I think that just kind of speaks to everything this last week of just a few things that have been surreal for sure.
Q. That's only going to continue when you're playing tournaments like the Sentry and the Masters and U.S. Open, PLAYERS Championship, and all the things you're in. You're going to be playing against Scottie Scheffler and all the way down the line. Is there a player that you think when you do meet that players it's going to be particularly eye opening, that maybe you emulated or admired?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, obviously as a lefty I grew up a huge Phil fan. Meeting him down the road would be really cool. For our generation, just Tiger is unbelievable. That would be amazing.
But I don't know. I met Spieth in Texas this year. I actually played with a few buddies of his in a pro-am and he came out and talked to me. Honestly, I think I just love like kind of his vibe out there and how he talks to Greller and everything.
It was cool meeting him and he was super nice to me. Be cool to see him again honestly. I feel like just kind of the chaos that he has, seems to have in his rounds, I really like that. He's probably been one of my favorite players I guess of the more modern guys.
Yeah, it's just crazy. Yeah, anybody that's a lefty I root for. All those guys would be sweet.
Q. Spieth likes to use the term "free rolling." You just play and whatever happens happens. Is that the way you're thinking about this week or just after you won it's like, yeah, whatever happens, I'm in the field, I'm good for next year?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, I think the last few months that's kind of what I've been thinking. I think that's a good mentality to have when you're playing golf, is whatever happens happens. You're going to play some rounds and you're not going to have your best stuff. You just kind of got to keep going and just keep having fun with it.
We're out here playing golf for a living. It's a pretty unbelievable life we get to live. So just to be able to enjoy it, and I think that term speaks to that, I think is very important honestly.
Q. So obviously you're from Arizona and you get the win last week. What is it about desert golf that brings the best out of your game?
MATT McCARTY: I don't know. I think comfortability I think. It's just nice to be comfortable. Desert golf is a lot of bomb and gouge. That is typically what it is. Ball goes really far, make a ton of birdies. I didn't really grow up doing that.
I grew up keeping it in the fairway, being accurate, and kind of learning how to play golf that way. Obviously last year gained a little bit of distance learning how to play more aggressive and do stuff like that, so it's been fun.
But I think just it's just comfortable. You know, like the dry heat, it feels like home more than anything.
Q. So with your win last week you became just the second player ever to win on the tour in the same season they were promoted, joining Jason Gore. Have you thought about that accolade and joining an elite group?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, I saw Jason yesterday. He's a really good dude. Yeah, he sent me a text and said, welcome to the club Sunday night.
Yeah, it is crazy. It's unbelievable to kind of think of that and just joining a group that I guess is different. I saw something, too, where it was like the amount of guys that have won in their first, second, or third start out here, and to join that group is pretty crazy, too.
It's been a pretty surreal week to be honest.
Q. We spoke at Sanderson and it was your debut on TOUR. You had a lot to get your head around you were saying. Next week after that you go out and win. What kind of do you feel enabled you -- what about yourself enabled you to process everything you needed to process that week and go out and get your first win the next?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, I mean, it was cool. They paired me with Kuch and Harris English the first couple days. It was really -- obviously like their careers and the amount of experience they've had, like it was cool just to see them kind of how they go about their business, especially when they weren't playing that well, too.
I think just to like have a good vibe, and just so professional in everything they did. But understanding that, kind of back to earlier, like just they've been doing it so long. They're great players obviously.
Like sometimes you're just like not going to have a great day and it's fine. Like just you focus on the next day, the next shot and just seeing that and how they went about their business.
But I think more so than anything, too, going into Black Desert from that week, of like it was very cool being out here and like seeing all the guys and everything. But just understanding that the Korn Ferry TOUR is like a very high level of golf as well and it's pretty much kind of the same thing as out here.
A little bit more going on out here, but good golf is good golf and it translates. I played well the first round. Kind of didn't hit the ball great on Friday but grinded it out, made the cut, and kind of ran out of energy a little bit on weekend to be honest. So kind of learned from that and how to manage myself out here.
I think if you focus on making cuts, you're always going to be around the cut line. If you focus on winning tournaments you might find yourself in contention.
So just understanding that again as well.
Q. In a really broad sense as a person, as a golfer, what has this whole whirlwind of a year -- three wins, PGA TOUR promotion, win on the PGA TOUR, four wins worldwide -- what has it taught you about yourself?
MATT McCARTY: Honestly, after if first one, because I didn't finish well in Denver but had a three-shot lead going into the last round; won the next week.
To be able to kind of lock up my card at that point, but also to refocus my goals and like focus on getting the No. 1 spot and then trying to get out here as soon as possible after the second one. But to be able to keep this good play going and kind of the pedal down and shift and I guess mentally be able to be a little bit okay with things changing, too.
I think it shows a lot of how I've been able to like just handle myself the last few weeks, last couple months. I'm very proud of that. I think that's going to be a big thing going forward. Like especially with next year of a lot of the events I'm getting into, understanding the new reality that I'll be in.
But, yeah, it's crazy. Just focusing on it, and understanding that these opportunities are very rare I think, too, and having that perspective. But just being very excited for the future honestly, for each week.
It's going to be a lot of the fun next year. I'll be smiling a lot on the golf course no matter where I am, and hopefully we can play well and keep those going, too.
Q. Just a couple. Just thoughts on your pairing or grouping this week with Tom Kim, the defending champion, and Kevin Yu, who won the week before you.
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, pretty crazy. I know Kevin decently well. Went to ASU; Phoenix guy. I actually was playing a round with him in Springfield, Missouri my rookie year when he locked up his card.
We were kind of towards the lead. That was probably the best finish I had had at that point. But I had to finish probably like a top 10 to keep my Korn Ferry card that week with a couple events left. He finished third to get his PGA TOUR card and lock it up that week.
It was a great round of golf. That's kind of the cool thing I've seen the last couple years with a lot of these guys, is like that was the round that kind of got his career out here going. To see him win, that's awesome.
But, yeah, to play with Tom Kim out here, too, obviously won the last two years. If I can keep up with him the first couple days I think I'll be doing pretty well. It'll be cool to see how he attacks this place. If he's playing first, we might hit the same club off the tee as he does, but yeah, we'll see.
Q. Finally, you mentioned how your life will change a little bit; probably want have as much free time. What sort of things do you like to do away from golf with your free time? What are you interested in and what keeps you occupied?
MATT McCARTY: Honestly, just spending time with my girlfriend. Madi is amazing. When I'm home just being home and checking out a little bit, especially lately. Spending some time with her.
We played in that BMW pro-am with some of the PlayStation guys. They sent me a PS5 last year, so I've been playing a lot of the video games too. I've been spending a lot of time on the couch, especially during football season. I mean, that is pretty much all I do. I lay on the couch, watch football, play some games, and hang out with her.
Q. What handicap would you give yourself as a game player?
MATT McCARTY: Video games?
Q. Uh-huh.
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, no, I'm terrible. I didn't play that much growing up. It might be a reason I'm out here. I spent a lot of time outside and that was beneficial.
Yeah, I'm trying to get better. Playing a lot of college football. But yeah, playing some buddies. I always get beat. I'm terrible at videos.
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