THE MODERATOR: All right, like to welcome defending champion Matt McCarty to the media center at the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship.
Matt, just open it up. What are you looking forward to here in your first title defense on TOUR?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, just happy to be back, and, yeah, a special place for me. All the memories flowing in this week. Yeah, just looking forward to giving myself a chance again this weekend.
Q. How different has the prep been this week compared to a normal event?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, I mean, I think you got to kind of treat it like any other week. There is a few changes, 1 and 10, 18, a little different tee boxes. For the most part everything is the same. It's a little cooler this year being a couple weeks later, so the ball is not quite going as far.
Just try to do the same thing as last year, and then also understanding it's going to be a completely different week and just kind of play golf and roll with the punches as they come.
Q. Family, friends this week? Guys doing anything special?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, family is coming in today, mom and dad. We'll do dinner tonight and just kind of be nice to see everybody and hang out. It'll be fun.
Q. Looking back over the last year, how would you sum up your last year? How has the journey been? What have been some of the biggest surprises maybe, some things that stand out for you?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, first full year out on TOUR, so honestly just a lot of new experiences and learned a lot. I think playing a lot of these courses for the first time is a unique challenge in its own right.
Yeah, a little up and down for me. Kind of got off to a slow start. Started playing some better golf around The PLAYERS and Augusta. Being in contention going into the weekend out there and having a good week was kind of a lot of fun.
Yeah, a little up and down, a little bit more inconsistent than my last year on Korn Ferry. Felt like I learned a lot and just kind of proud of kind of how resilient I've been throughout the year. Yeah, been a lot of fun. Learned a lot for sure.
Q. Curious about something. After you won last year, the girls were here in April. Haeran Ryu won. I noticed you checked in and called her and congratulated her on her winning score that beat your score from last year. Where were and you how did the call come about?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, I was in the airport I think in Toronto headed to the U.S. Open. So Patrick just gave me a call and wanted me to hop on. They've been very awesome to me here so was happy to do it. Pretty cool to talk to her and, yeah, share that experience with her.
Q. You were also I believe -- did you play the Masters?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah.
Q. You were in contention for a while. What was that experience like?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, it was cool. Kind of started off double bogey on Friday and made eight birdies in the middle of that round. You know, was third-to-last group on Saturday afternoon after Scottie, before Rory. You know, my first kind of weekend experience at a major, it was a lot of fun. Played really well that day. Kind of handled everything good and finished the round poorly.
Being at Augusta is awesome. To hit some of the shots out there that you grew up seeing on TV and being able to execute some of them was a lot of fun.
Q. Was it hard to stay out of your own head playing alongside those guys?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, I mean, just a lot more people, a lot more stuff going on. I think I handled it pretty well. It's all a learning experience, so, yeah.
Yeah, definitely different atmosphere out there for sure.
Q. Just curious, some of the moments that maybe stood out from last year's win. Obviously opened with a 62. Were there any other moments throughout the course of that tournament that still stick out to you as being really key and helping propel to you victory?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah. Made a couple good par putts on the front nine on 3 and 4 last year to kind of settle me into the round a little bit.
Playing the back nine yesterday I remembered every single shot I hit from Sunday last year. You know, three-putted 12; had a nervy good par on 13; then obviously hit that great 3-wood on 14 to a couple feet.
Yeah, it was kind of crazy how the memories flow in. I feel like I remember more of that round of golf than anyone I've ever played so it was cool.
Q. You were in a position where it seemed like winning was coming relatively easy having won twice on the Korn Ferry TOUR in the past weeks before that. Curious what the difference in the nerves were like knowing you were in contention on the PGA TOUR for the first time, how much that experience, winning on the Korn Ferry TOUR helped you get it done here?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, I mean, I think it's obviously different being out here and kind of everything that comes along with winning a PGA TOUR event is obviously heightened, being in contention and trying to win a golf tournament no matter what level, it's a little is a very similar feeling.
When you're having those experiences and being able to kind of pull them off in very recent weeks before, it was definitely very helpful. When you're just flowing like that and just going, it's just easier to kind of have that -- execute in those moments.
It was nice to be able to put myself in that position, and very proud of kind of how I was able to manage all those nerves and energy that day for sure.
Q. Just curious about how the champion's suite is here, if you're enjoying that. Tell us about the mindset of trying to defend and course conditions, and how you're feeling about going low the next four days.
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, Patrick and Jared, all the guys have been great to me. Got a nice room this week, very comfortable, and it will be great. Excited to be back for sure.
Q. The course conditions? Any different than last year?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, a little cooler. I think it's a touch firmer. Definitely firmed up on the weekend last year. But I think it's kind of got a little bit more bounce to it on the greens for sure.
Basically pretty similar, which I'm happy with. You know, couple changes on 1, 10, and 18. 18 is a lot more of a daunting tee shot and makes that second shot a lot harder now with the tee back an extra 20, 25 yards.
Yeah, kind of more of the same. I think the rough is a little thicker. There is not much of it out here. Might be nice to keep your ball out of the lava a little bit at some points, but if you're in it it will be tough.
Q. Playing with Mav the first two days. How does that sound?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, no, I'm excited. Mav's been a great mentor, him and his brother Scout on the bag. Das has kind of known them for a while, too. Played a bunch of practice rounds with him to start the year at Augusta. Actually kind of crazy. Played with Mav and Billy at the Sony this year, second event of the year for me.
To start that way and finish, it'll be a good, comfortable group. Looking forward to it. It was a nice text to receive yesterday with the tee times for sure.
Q. Obviously this is a special place. Your last round on tour, career low 60 over in Japan. Was that one of those rounds where you just want to keep playing soon after?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, would've been nice just coming straight here and keep it going. Yeah, I guess got a little bit of one swing away from 58, 59 whatever. It was nice to have that after kind of playing some sloppy rounds the few days before to finish that tournament well and have some good momentum coming into this week.
So, yeah, just kind of keep doing that and we'll be fine.
Q. Just curious if you've been back to Black Desert Resort since your win? If so, what was that like coming here as a tourist?
MATT McCARTY: Yeah, been back a couple times. Came back the week before the Masters, which was pretty cool. Nice to be back and just kind of get the good vibes going, especially leading into that event for me.
And then I was here couple months ago doing some media stuff with them as well. So it's a special place and just an awesome place to vacation as well, and to come back without having to play a golf tournament was fun as well.
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