DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

December 12, 2020

Matthew Fitzpatrick

Jumeirah Golf Estates

Quick Quotes

MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Yeah, not a battle, but just a bit of a standard round of golf. I kept myself in it. Apart from my poor shot on the par 3, 6, made a really good bogey there. That was a momentum-turner for sure. That just kept me going.

Then to get it straight back at 7 was great. But yeah, on the whole, it was just a solid round of golf, plenty of greens. Not too many chances but limiting the mistakes and that was what was important to sort of keep in touch with the top.

Q. What do you think of Patrick Reed's short game?

MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: I hate him (laughing). No, I don't. I think he's absolutely fantastic. For me, he's one of the best on Tour if not the best. Yeah, he's so humble about it, as well. He's a great bloke, really. We've had a good laugh out there today with plenty of talking and the shot on 17 was fantastic. Me and Billy were saying, there was more of a chance of him making a 2 there than a 4. His short game is phenomenal.

I said yesterday in my interview to, oh, what do you make of Patrick Reed's game, and I said, well, he's got a fantastic short game, and he's probably going to get up-and-down nine times out of ten. I would say that was the actual stat today. He got up-and-down nine times out of ten.

So it's very impressive.

Q. Billy Foster once said to me about you that you carry your balls around in a wheelbarrow, which I company is a nice thing to hear someone like Billy saying about you. What is actually your reaction to that?

MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Yeah, obviously it's a compliment in a strange way, but yeah, it really is. To have him say that about me is amazing. Everyone he's worked for in the past and seen lots of players, it's a very nice compliment.

Q. Third round, 3-under par 69, give us your thoughts on that one.

MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: Yeah, it was just a solid day, really. Just limited the mistakes on the hole and didn't necessarily give myself too many chances, but the most important thing was I kept myself in touch with the guys at the top and nice birdie on the last to finish.

Q. How important was that birdie on the last, because obviously by then, Mr. Canter had posted 11 and Patrick, he might get there, too.

MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: It was vital. For me I want to be in the last group going into Sunday. It's place to be. Obviously get a better picture of everything in front of you, you have a bit more time than everyone else. To make that final birdie and get in the last group tomorrow is ideal.

Q. How much are you looking forward to tomorrow, not just the opportunity to win the DP World Tour Championship, but potentially The Race to Dubai if things panned out the right way?

MATTHEW FITZPATRICK: The Race to Dubai, entering the week, I think I was 16th. Honestly wasn't really on my radar. I'm realistic about these things. I knew I needed a lot of results to go my way, and I need to play well myself. I was just concentrating on me playing well and if the rest takes care of itself, then happy days.