THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Alex Fitzpatrick to the interview room here at the 2026 Cadillac Championship. Alex, you're coming off of your victory last week at the Zurich classic with your brother Matt. Can you open it up with some comments on what the past couple days has looked like for you.
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Yeah, it's been pretty wild. I had a flight to Turkey booked on Sunday night, so I was pretty thankful that I could cancel that one and fly to Miami. So, yeah, a lot has changed. Super happy to be here and, yeah, something I didn't expect starting last week.
THE MODERATOR: You're making your first part as a PGA TOUR member. Can you talk about your expectations or goals that you have for yourself this week.
ALEX FITZPATRICK: I think the biggest thing for me is just to try and he enjoy it. I think this is, yeah, this is the first day of school, I guess you could call it, but, yeah, it's just to go out and enjoy myself, try and play the golf I feel like I can play, and see where that takes me this week.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up to questions.
Q. Last year it was a little dicey for you on the DP World Tour. You had to really kind of grind it out. Obviously you've been playing much better earlier this ear you got the win in I understand I can't. What's changed in your game and do you feel like you're ready because it's not like your getting to the PGA TOUR and you have a couple of events to kind of work your way in in the beginning of the season, you're dropping in in the heat of the season with three massive events in a row.
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I started talking to Mike Walker in October of last year. Beforehand I didn't get a lot of coaching time, my coach was over here and I was in Europe, so I didn't really spend any time with him, which I think it's really, really hard to improve when you don't spend any time with a coach. So I was lucky enough Mike kind of helped me out in October. We kind of changed some things with my driving and then I started seeing Andy Paisley at the start of this year, my putting coach. Yeah, since that point having kind of regular contact time has been really important. I think that's kind of a reason of why I've improved a little bit.
Q. Coming in right off the bat you got these three massive events. It's got to be a bit of a whirlwind.
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I don't have a clue what's going on, I'm not going to lie to you. Yeah, just hearing that, you know, you playing against the best players of the world all of a sudden and even like the purses are obviously much bigger and, yeah, I'm just excited to be here and hopefully play some good golf.
Q. Do you go into last week thinking that this is what can happen if we win or if not when does that, do you allow that to cross your mind at some point Sunday?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: I would say it kicked in when we did some media and every question was, this is what you can win if you win tomorrow. So that was the moment when I was like, oh, actually there's a lot to play for here. So, yeah, that kind of made it a little harder down the stretch when I'm stood on the 17th tee and there's water on left, and in your head you're thinking, Well, I could play the PGA in a couple weeks if you hit this on the green. So yeah it was pretty stressful.
Q. Also, when is the last time and how much have you caddied for Matt?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Not really very often. I only caddied for him at the U.S. Amateur because my dad promised me a new phone. That was only reason why I caddied for him, because it was too expensive to buy a caddie for the week, so I got dragged into that one. And then he won and then I got a new phone, so it was a win/win all around.
Q. What kind of advice or what kind of talk did you have after you won from your brother, as far as what you're now facing?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: He just said, you know, he said enjoy it. He sent me a really nice text the morning afterwards that was like, you know, as much as this win is both of us, you deserve to be here, you're playing some great golf, go out there and show them what you have and just try and enjoy it as much as you can really, that was the biggest message from him.
Q. You're walking into a Signature Event this week on essentially no sleep and after the biggest win of your career. How do you even prepare for this week mentally?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Yeah, just I have no idea, to be honest with you. Just hopefully stood on the first tee I'll hit the first fairway and then I'll go from there. I feel like my game is in a good shape, I feel like I played really nicely last week and over the past couple months my game's improved a lot. So hopefully I can kind of continue the form and see where that takes me this week. But, yeah, I have no expectations. Especially this week I think it's going to be a whirlwind and my head's going to be everywhere, but hopefully that calms down after this week and I kind of settle in, hopefully settle in nicely.
Q. How does it feel to have the security of the two-year exemption?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Yeah, someone actually asked me this earlier. The first kind of security I had was on the DP World Tour not so long ago, about two weeks ago, and I think it was a year and a half exemption and it felt so nice to be able to know that I'm not stressing about keeping my card like I was in October last year. Then to be told that I could have two and a half years out here if we win on Sunday was, you know, amazing. There's a lot of stress with this game, it can really bring you down to earth at any time. So being able to kind of plan my schedule and figure out where I'm going to be is amazing and, yeah, it definitely takes a lot off your plate, that's for sure.
Q. I wanted to follow-up on that question about when it started to hit you Saturday what was all at stake. Did you not know that like this was in play, next week, Signature Events, PLAYERS championship next year, like none of that, like you hadn't even thought of it?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Nothing. No, no. Yeah, nothing. And then I got reminded like five times on Saturday. So, no, the week was really about playing with my brother, spending time with my brother, and enjoying time as a family. It had nothing to do with -- I mean, we were both playing well, so the expectation was fairly high that we could perform and compete. But at the same time it was valuable time with my family that between get very often. So that was the most important thing of the week. Yeah, I didn't get any sleep on Saturday night. My brother told me he slept like a log and I was like, I don't know how. I was up until probably 3:00 a.m. thinking, well, what happens if we play well tomorrow. Yeah, I was pretty nervous on the first tee and slowly settled in.
Q. Can you talk about how this will change your schedule, like you mentioned you were going to go to Turkey this week, where else were you looking at going and now how does that impact it, obviously you're in next week and probably over here more, will you establish a U.S. base?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I mean, I was meant to be playing turkey. I think it went Turkey, Barcelona and then there was a week off for the PGA and then it was actually back in Europe. Which I love, I love being back in Europe. That side of the schedule is amazing. The first half of the year it can be really, really tough with all the travel to, I mean I did Australia, Kenya, India, I kind of traveled all over the world. I'm glad I didn't have to, I'm glad I took the flight from New Orleans to Miami which was like two hours. That made it a little easier. But, yeah, I sat down with my caddie on Monday morning, we had breakfast together, and we looked at some of the events and it was like, wow, this is crazy, this doesn't feel real. And even walking on to the range yesterday morning was, yesterday afternoon, was like, it feels weird to be here. This is something I'm not used to. So, yeah, going to try and hopefully make it feel more like home and hopefully play some good golf.
Q. Will you try to maintain a schedule on the DP World Tour as well?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Yeah. You know, I'll definitely play in the events that I can. I mean, the DP World Tour have been amazing to me since coming out of college they have helped me out a lot. They have given me some invites. They have looked after me like a family. So going back is important to me and playing in some events and making sure I do the right thing is, yeah, it's important, and I'm excited to do that.
Q. Can you talk about some of the messages you've had. Have you had many from your DP World Tour mates?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Yeah, the support has been amazing. I've had more messages than I ever thought I would. They must think I'm a nice guy or something, because there's a lot more than I thought I would ever get. But, yeah, there's a bunch of players, even kind of on the range here I've had so many players and people come up to me and congratulate me for not only last week but the week in India as well. So it's, yeah, it's been pretty surreal to kind of keep getting all these messages and, yeah, amazing.
Q. There's a lot said about Matt's bunker shot on the 18th there, but in fact for the hour before you were sort of carrying your brother. He thought his swing had gone. That chip you did at 15 and you obviously have the confidence to stand up there and do that.
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Yeah, you know, the tricky part for him was that there was, he probably put so much pressure on himself to try and get over the line for us. He's playing the best golf he ever has, and there's a lot of expectations on himself. But there's even more when he's trying to get his, help his little brother get out here. That was the big thing, we were playing so well up until the 12th and, you know, he hit one bad drive that he kind of really hit all week. I think he, yeah, he started to then feel, I think he started to feel it a little bit. Even though I had felt it all week, him trying to get me across the finish line. But I felt like I did a good job of keeping him together and I felt like I played pretty well coming down the stretch, especially with what was on the line. Yeah, just to win that with him is so incredibly special and, yeah, a moment we'll never forget.
Q. There's a lot of changes with getting DP World Tour to the PGA TOUR. Is there one that you're, you've highlighted, you've been most excited about that you just kind of can't believe that you're being able to experience it now?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Just all the amazing events that are played on this tour. From things like next week at Quail Hollow and then the Memorial and the Canadian Open, like just things that I grew up watching on TV. It's kind of like, it's like every week's a bit of a dream. So, yeah, just being out here, seeing all the guys out here, playing against the best players in the world, something I dreamt since I was a kid and I'm just incredibly grateful to be Saturday here and have the opportunity to do that.
Q. Is there a message that you got that just hit you a little harder maybe it was more memorable than others?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Probably the one from my brother, to be honest, as cringy as that sounds. Just telling me that I deserve to be out here and that I can go play well and, you know, play my best golf, I would say that meant the most. But there was a lot of messages and, yeah, very overwhelming.
Q. You have a residence in Winston Salem?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: I don't. I don't live anywhere. I kind of sponged off my brother for a while.
Q. He lives in, you know, north of here in the Jupiter area, are you going to try to establish something there?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: I think so, yeah. Like I told someone earlier, the security now is pretty nice. So it means I can actually settle down somewhere for once, not just travel everywhere around the world. So, yeah, I think after this week I'll probably start looking at figuring that out and, yeah, I'm looking forward to having my own space.
Q. And that's an area where, as you know, so many people, so many of these guys out here live. Will that help your game being around them all the time and practicing and playing with against and with them?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Definitely. I'm already a member at a place called its Dye Preserve, which is kind of in, well in Palm Beach area. But I've been there for a couple years now and I don't, I didn't get there that often, but every time I go there's some of the best players in the world there. So I think being able to be there more and compete against them guys, even if it's just some money matches or anything, it's, yeah, it will be fun and I think it will be really good for my game.
Q. Matt has two head covers in his bag from Brookline, one from his success from you at the Am and one from the US Open. Is there anything that you will take as a springboard from the Zurich to carry forward from this segment of your career?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Are you talking head cover or just in general?
Q. Either way.
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Oh, I don't think so. I think, I don't know, I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. We went to Mr. B's like five times that week, so maybe something from that restaurant that I'll put on ahead cover or something.
Q. Obviously an unconventional road to get here, but you were part of the PGA TOUR U class of 2022. Can you speak about your season at Wake Forest and what you learned on your time on the PGA TOUR Canada?
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Yeah, that's a great question. I loved, first of all I loved Wake Forest. My head coach, Jerry Haas, I had four years there, I loved the place. I tell people I would go back if I could. Maybe not now, but I definitely would have before. But, yeah, I felt like I learned a lot about my game then, traveling with the team, playing all these different golf courses and being out here in America. For me at least it feels like it helped prep for being out here. I feel like some of the maybe some of the European lads who are coming out here from the DP World Tour might be a little overwhelmed with what America can be like. But being out here, loving it over here, it kind of feels natural for me, and I'm thankful for that. I think that's because I spent time at Wake Forest. Yeah, coming and playing six events on PGA TOUR Canada, it was, you know, it was a bit of a grind and, yeah, I think it pushes you to work harder because ideally you want to be out here on the PGA TOUR and the game is so hard. There's so many guys out here that put their life's work into it and try and get out here. Yeah, there's people that don't manage to do that, and it's just a really hard game. I'm incredibly grateful to be Saturday here with the opportunity to do that.
THE MODERATOR: All right, thanks for the time. Good luck this week.
ALEX FITZPATRICK: Thank you.
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