HORIZON IRISH OPEN

July 2, 2022

Fabrizio Zanotti

Mount Juliet Estate

Quick Quotes

Q. Great stuff today. Can you just describe how it felt walking off the 18?

FABRIZIO ZANOTTI: Oh, it feels great. To play here is always really good. The crowds are unbelievable, and the atmosphere is the same. So you always feel good playing here.

Q. You've only dropped just the one shot in three rounds. What does that tell you about your game right now?

FABRIZIO ZANOTTI: I think I'm playing pretty good. I've been playing good this year, making a lot of cuts, but not having too many good results.

But I'm playing good. I just try to -- I think I need to keep patient like today. And today was a tough start with the weather and with my game, but I keep patient, and at the end I have a good finish. So it gave me a chance for tomorrow.

Q. You're such an experienced player, but there's plenty in contention as well. What do you need to do going into the third round, it's your final round to get your third victory?

FABRIZIO ZANOTTI: I think pretty much what I made today, I keep patient, and I keep really patient during all the rounds, and I think tomorrow that's going to be very important.

Q. And can you take us through your chip shot in 17?

FABRIZIO ZANOTTI: Yeah, it was -- it was an uphill chip. I was trying to get to the hole. It was very hard to get to the hole. And I think I hit it perfect and a good break, and that was a bonus.

Q. Third round 69. You were just talking about being patient out there today, that being key. Why was that so important today, and will you need that tomorrow in the final round?

FABRIZIO ZANOTTI: I think it was important because at the beginning the weather was not really good. On No. 2 it started raining. And the wind started blowing, and we don't even know the direction really, and it was changing all the time. Then we have like all the weather today. But it's what we are used to when we play here.

And my game was -- I started good, but in the middle of the round I struggled a little. I holed some good par putts, and that pushed me to have a good finish. It was good.

Q. How much of a boost was the eagle on 17, and can you walk us through the chip shot?

FABRIZIO ZANOTTI: It was really good, an eagle there to put me there on the leaderboard and give me a better chance tomorrow. So I think it was a great shot.

Q. Do you have an idea of what's at stake tomorrow? Beyond winning, you could also qualify for The Open championship. What would that mean, playing St Andrews?

FABRIZIO ZANOTTI: Oh, to play in The Open is always great, and playing in St Andrews I think is going to be much better. But I just need to try to focus on my game and try to be patient like today and hit every shot at a time.