THE MODERATOR: Matt Fitzpatrick is with us now at the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Matt, welcome to your fourth Ryder Cup. Let's go ahead and jump right into questions.
Q. What part of this week do you look forward to the most?
MATT FITZPATRICK: I think just being with Team Europe, you know. Obviously I've watched Ryder Cups growing up. Watched Rory. Watched Rosey. You know, even the vice captains, José Maria, Francesco, and obviously to be in and amongst them, having the same goal of trying to win the Ryder Cup this week is always a special experience.
So yeah, it's always nice to be part of the team.
Q. Are there any teammates that you get more out of this week that come out of their shell or something that wouldn't happen week-in, week-out?
MATT FITZPATRICK: I think everyone does, really. I think everyone kind of gets involved in the banter and, you know, the -- I think that's the best thing about it. I think everyone comes out of their shell because we are all trying to achieve the same thing, and I think the great thing is I feel like we have a lot of fun doing it, as well.
So that's what makes this week so great.
Q. Kind of a weird question. But how do you divorce, like, something that's statistically unlikely to happen, like making a 15-footer, right, with something you really want to happen, like wanting to make this 15-footer so you win the hole? How do you know what is probably going to happen and also getting into an irrational state almost?
MATT FITZPATRICK: I feel like this week is almost opposite of that. It was funny, we were watching golf earlier this year, and I can't remember who it was but they had a putt to win in a playoff or whatever it was, and it came up on the graph of like 20 percent make percentage. And my wife said something really funny. She was like, "Oh, I really don't feel like that means anything anyway because I just feel like it's either going in or it's not."
I was like, I guess when you put it like that, that's a good point. I guess every putt is 50 percent. But I think on weeks like this, I feel like I've noticed that putts go in from everywhere. Putts are missed from everywhere. It really is that kind of week that special things happen both good and bad, and I think that's what makes this event so special, as well. That obviously adds to the whole atmosphere and adds to the experience and adds to the whole event.
That's why I feel like it's such an incredible event to be a part of, and when you're in the middle of playing in it, you're basically willing every shot to go close, every putt to go in. You're just hoping that that is going to add something to whatever it is that you're doing.
Q. I saw a video on social media of you having a little chip around the greens during the practice round yesterday and being on the receiving end of a few heckles. Would you say you are a player with thick skin?
MATT FITZPATRICK: I mean, I'm from Sheffield so that's probably a good start.
Yeah, I mean, it was good fun. I think for me, you know, you've got to buy into it. I was having a good laugh with those boys, and we were laughing about it. They were telling me, oh, you're probably going to be here on Friday or whatever. I was like, yeah, you're probably right, to be fair.
So yeah, we had a good laugh there, and they actually followed us for a couple more holes. So I think, you know, like you say, you've got to take it on the chin, whatever it is.
Again, like I keep saying, it's what makes this event so fun, so special, is the fans. The fans are what make this event, and you know, it's obviously a great opportunity for us to come and try and play our best golf in front of them.
Q. As a follow-up, where it has crossed a line in the past is when wives have been targeted and you're one of several European players who has an American wife. Have you said anything to Katherine about how to handle it?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, of course, there's always been conversations about what could happen or what couldn't happen. I think everyone is very well-versed on what that is.
But again, we've had that conversation between me and her, and she said that, you know, it doesn't matter. I'll be out there, whatever, it really doesn't matter. I'm not going to be affected at all.
Everyone knows how it is, and like Keegan said in his speech, like Luke said in his speech, I have no doubt everyone is going to be as respectful as they possibly can.
And yeah, like I say, I think that's what makes it fun. That's what makes it different.
Q. Just following up on that, I read a piece a couple days ago where you mentioned your parents had decided not to come out here, I think on the back of their experiences of Whistling Straits. Can you just tell us about that, about their decision, and just elaborate on it, and did you tell them not to come?
MATT FITZPATRICK: No, I left it completely up to them. There's two things on that. There is, obviously, a little bit of that; they didn't have a great experience in Whistling Straits. That's not like a lie or anything or making anything up.
But the other thing is, both my parents are playing next week in the Dunhill. They also didn't really want to ruin that experience, as well, because that's obviously special to have that.
So yeah, it's a combination. It's a lot of travel. It's obviously a busy week. It's a tiring week. And then they obviously want to have a nice week next week, as well, with me and my brother. No denying that they had a bad experience in the past, but there's no reason why it has to be like that this time.
Q. Just to follow up quickly, how does that make you feel that they are not here? They travel with you a lot.
MATT FITZPATRICK: They have obviously been to a lot. But I'm fine with that. They have been to three Ryder Cups already, two away, two at home -- one at home, sorry. You know, they have seen me in all sorts of events.
So obviously I'll miss them this week for sure. But you know, I'm not -- I know that they are doing what's best for them, and that's what's important.
Q. When you look back on it, just how did that challenge from Luke to kind of go play in both the British and the European Masters kind of maybe spark anything for you, and just how validating was it to perform in both of those well?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I mean, obviously that thing, I kind of signed up for the British Masters earlier in the year. The European Masters, as well; I love playing in Switzerland. I have had a good record around there. I enjoy the week as an experience, as well. So it's not just the extra stuff with it as to why I played.
British Masters, I spoke to Luke the week before and kind of, you know, put him in the loop of where my head was at. Obviously played a lot in the summer to try and cement that top-50 place as well as get some Ryder Cup points.
You know, we discussed that it was probably a good thing for me to come to the British Masters and play, and you know, that's what I did. Obviously, like you say, it was great to have a good result there. Me and my team's goal for those two weeks was to conserve energy and be smart and not burn ourselves out in the event we do make this team, and obviously I feel like we did a really good job of that.
It was two really nice weeks, two pretty easy weeks from a practice sense. Like you say, to go and perform, as well, is always a nice, added bonus.
Q. Based on how the last few Ryder Cups have gone for you, were you worried about getting a chance to be on this stage and getting selected?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Of course it goes through your mind. Of course it does. I believed in myself and I believed in the form I had shown from May. I wasn't necessarily thinking I was guaranteed a spot but I felt like I thoroughly deserved to be in the conversation, given how well I had played to the point of selection.
So yeah, it always crosses your mind. Luke has every right to go in whichever direction he wants with a captain's pick, and it's always easy when you qualify outright.
But I really felt like I had made a really good, strong case for myself to be on the team.
Q. I just have two quick, one regarding Rory. Other than the obvious, how good he is on the golf course, can you put into words what he means to this team in the back room as a leader, etc.? What does he bring to it?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, he's obviously a great person to have in and around the team. You know, you've seen in the media over the last however many years how much the Ryder Cup means to him, particularly after what he first said about the Ryder Cup.
But you can see it every day in the practice we have, the discussions we have, his attitude towards the week and how important it is to him that he wants to succeed. And that obviously gets everyone else going around him and we want to be part of that.
Yeah, he's very great in that aspect.
Q. Unrelated to that, when you look at your record here, Ryder Cup record, how bothersome is that to you and how representative is that of how you have played in the Ryder Cup?
MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I said already before this week about my record. In 2016, I would openly admit I wasn't ready for that one. I was 21 or whatever I was. I had not really played any real golf in the States on the PGA TOUR yet. So I feel like I kind of throw that one out the window a little bit.
Then, you know, '21, I actually felt like I played really well. You know, I felt like I deserved more than what I got out of that one.
Rome was probably the same thing. Obviously got my first full point with Rory. We obviously played well on the Friday and Saturday afternoon, as well, and obviously Max played well on the Sunday singles.
It's obviously frustrating, but you know, all I can do is keep qualifying for the teams and keep giving myself the opportunity to improve on the record.
I think that's the biggest thing for me is to keep putting myself in the position to make the teams. That's all I can do.
Q. A lot of very elite golfers mention that they don't feel that they belong until they play in a team event at the Ryder Cup. What does it say about pro golfers that they don't feel that sense of validation until something like this happens to them?
MATT FITZPATRICK: I think the fact is that this event is obviously just a very different animal. It's a very different experience to what we have week-in, week-out as individual players. To be part of something that's obviously bigger than yourself, I think, is always quite eye opening as to what it means to the other players around you, your peers that you play with, you play against week-in, week-out.
To be part of that and hopefully have success in it or even have failure in it and come together as a team still, I think that's what makes it such a special week.
Specifically in 2021, you know, we had a bad result. And you know, there was no pointing fingers. There was no blaming. Everyone comes together. It's like, no, we'll get up and we'll go again in '23 in Rome and that's what we did. So I think being able to play together as a team and experience that is what makes it so special and why people probably feel that way.
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