MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 7, 2026

Matt Fitzpatrick

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We are very pleased to be joined in the Media Center today with our great friend Matt Fitzpatrick. Matt, welcome back to Augusta. It's such a pleasure having you, and thanks for spending a few moments with us.

This is your 12th Masters. Can you believe it?

MATT FITZPATRICK: No, no, I can't believe it. It's pretty crazy.

THE MODERATOR: And you have made 10 consecutive cuts. There's only one player in the field who has more, Hideki has 11. So you're right there.

Matt is currently 6th in the world. You've won 12 professional tournaments, including the U.S. Open, and you're currently ranked 6th in the world. You also share a unique accomplishment that only one other Masters competitor has done. You were the Low Amateur in the 2013 Open and the Low Amateur in the 2014 Amateur. The other competitor who was Low Am in both of these tournaments consecutively was Bobby Jones in 1930. So congratulations, that's a nice thing.

Let's talk about your preparation this week. You have a wealth of experience at playing Augusta, and you have a treasure trove of analytics and data. How do you bring your experiences playing Augusta National with your fondness for analytics and metrics that will bring out the best of you this week?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I think the experience is the biggest thing here. I think the more you can learn about the golf course, the better. There's obviously so many different things that you need to learn, I feel like, for the golf course and using the data of seeing the more experience you have, the better chance you have of succeeding here. So that's also a nice thing.

I just think there's so much to learn on every different hole, particularly where to put the pins and where to miss around the greens, as well as just looking at the history of the event and what holes you can be a little bit more aggressive on and which holes you need to play smart.

Q. To just continue on the topic of detail orientation, your preparation, it feels like there are a number of shots out here where there is some considerable debate as to the strategy, 3 or how you judge the wind at 12. Amongst your peers, what do you feel like there is the greatest spread or debate amongst the strategy in terms of a shot out here at Augusta National?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Biggest spread, it probably would be 3, I would say. You saw last year, Rory went for the green, Bryson laid up in that final round. I can see both, I really can. The more I'm here, I can see both. I think the numbers would tell you to go for it. I think, if you were to have that shot 100 times, the law of averages would say going for it would give you more chance at playing it under-par. But at the same time, I can see on a one-off, if you're feeling great with your wedges, it's a no-brainer to try and leave yourself a good wedge opportunity. So I would probably say 3 is probably your best example.

Q. When you're looking back over the experience you've had here in recent years, is there any division made between the data and experience from the years when the course is playing soft versus the years when it's playing firm and fast, which is looking like more along the lines of what we're going to see this week?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Probably just more of a scoring difference, I would say. I wouldn't say I can remember -- I always feel like it plays firm. Augusta is just different levels of firmness.

I do remember one year, maybe it was 2021, it was really, really windy the first round, really burnt out, the greens were very yellow for the first round, and I thought, oh, this is perfect. It's only going to get worse. I think there was a bit of rain that night, and it never happened. It kind of played a little bit softer for the rest of the week.

I think mainly it's just scoring that will change, but I think, if you look over the last five or six, I think the average winning score is like 11-under. Kind of looking at that target to set for the week really.

Q. Could you describe your confidence level right now with your game coming in this week, maybe even compared to previous years?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I would say it's definitely the most confident I've been. I wouldn't say that means I'm going to go out there and play well. The key is obviously to have as low expectations as possible and as high a confidence as possible.

I'm a completely different player to what -- I feel like every year I feel like I'm a completely different player to the one before. I think coming in when I was playing my best, I guess, was probably 2023, but that year I had a bit of a neck injury. It was nice to win the week after but didn't really have much form leading up to it despite winning the U.S. Open the year before.

This is definitely the best form I've been coming into this tournament. Yeah, just kind of trying to roll with it and enjoy that.

Q. What type of momentum does winning the Valspar championship bring to you coming into this Masters?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Definitely a lot of momentum, yeah. I think the weird thing is kind of winning and then having two weeks off and then you come in again. I think winning the week before is kind of a bit more on a roll, I guess. You've got the same swing feels and whatnot.

In that two weeks off, there's a few things that just felt like were maybe a little bit different at the Valspar or THE PLAYERS or Bay Hill. It's kind of just managing that and making sure I'm on the right track. It's no good going to play nine holes today and playing out of my skin. These three days are just about trying to manage myself and keep that momentum, I guess.

Q. A couple answers ago, you said it's only going to get worse, and you were smiling.

MATT FITZPATRICK: What's only going to get worse?

Q. You said it's really firm, it's only going to get worse, and you were smiling.

MATT FITZPATRICK: I thought in 2021 it was, yeah.

Q. Do you root for golf courses to get as hard as possible? Is that what you want?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I do. Personally, I always prefer that. I think something that I spoke about with my coaches this year is that I've always been a conservative player probably, in the right way, I would say. I'm probably going to try to hit a 7-iron to the middle of the green or 5 or 6 right of the flag or whatever pretty much every week.

I think that's changed now I've been better with my irons and had better strategy. I think that was beneficial for when golf courses got really difficult because my strategy didn't change. I would just play my normal golf, and maybe guys out here probably played a little bit more aggressive than me. So when it did get difficult, then you couldn't just go two or three left or right or you couldn't go at it because, if you did miss, you were screwed, and I could kind of just continued my own game.

So that's why I've enjoyed harder tests because I don't feel like I need to change much. Obviously having better approach play now over these last six, eight months, I can be a little bit more aggressive, but that still doesn't stop me playing away from flags because that's kind of what I'm used to.

Q. You have made a breakthrough with your irons this year. You've been a pro for 12 years and you finally make this breakthrough. When something like that happens, are you looking back thinking how could I have not figured this out sooner?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Not really because I won the U.S. Open. So I was doing something right at that point.

Yeah, I feel like it's always -- that's the game of golf, isn't it? You're always looking for bits and pieces to get better and improve on. I think to find it now is obviously really nice. I've obviously got much more experience, much more stability off the golf course and not worrying about keeping my card and stuff. It's different when you first get on TOUR, that's kind of the things you're looking at.

To find it now is a really, really nice point and hopefully continue with that.

Q. Is there a specific shot that you feel like you've learned since maybe your first few Masters, and how did you learn it?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Specific for this golf course?

Q. Yes.

MATT FITZPATRICK: This might be a bad answer but no. Maybe I should be looking at that, but there isn't anything that I do differently here than I do a regular week.

I think, particularly now with the tee back on maybe 13, that would be the only one that I could think of where being able to hit like a really long draw or a big draw to be beneficial, obviously 10 as well. Outside of that, I feel like I can play my own game this whole time.

The only thing that probably hinders me a little bit is just my lower ball flight. Just naturally, particularly with irons -- driver is fine; I can get away with it around here -- but just having that stopping power on the green. But I think I've managed to hit my irons a little bit with more shape these past nine months, a little bit more cut spin on it, which should soften it despite maybe a little bit of a lower flight.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about balancing your analytical self with the instinct and feel required to play well here?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I'm still -- I'm trying to treat this week as every other week, as everyone always says. I am comfortable with where my game is right now. I use analytics every other week, so why would I not try and do that this week too?

There's obviously still feel in my game, and I would say probably more in the short game department and putting, particularly with the way that the greens are with so much slope and big breakers. You definitely have to have feel and instinct there. You can't really use the analytics for that one.

I still have it and still use it as much as I can, but it's one of those that I'm not going to change just for -- I don't feel like I need to change to play well here.

Q. Maybe it's inevitable when you win your last start before the Masters, but do you feel like you got to relish what you accomplished, especially doing it after such a close call at THE PLAYERS? Do you feel like you, I don't know, are particularly proud of what you did and you've gotten to enjoy it?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Totally. What Scottie said last year at The Open before he won is you work so hard and you get five minutes, then you're onto the next one. Since then, obviously I've been fortunate enough to win twice, but I've definitely tried to take advantage of that and enjoy it and really think, yeah, I won, like I beat everyone else for a week.

Yeah, having the two weeks off was kind of nice to kind of enjoy that certainly for the first few days and think about it. Then obviously once you get back practicing, you are looking ahead to this week for sure.

Q. Just following up on that quickly, I feel like a lot of times when we see a player come as close as you were to winning at THE PLAYERS, it's very hard for them to find that form the following week, and obviously you were able to do that at the Valspar. I'm just curious, if you could take us back to Sunday evening of THE PLAYERS, how did you get yourself in the mindset to be ready to just find that form again the next week?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I think there's a few things. Oddly enough my psychologist has been to two events, one event last year and THE PLAYERS was his second event, and he was there on Sunday. So there's not many bad people to have, I guess.

I was very disappointed and frustrated. I feel like, when Cam hit that drive, obviously I had to press myself. It's not like I could have just -- I mean, I probably could have just hit 5-wood, 7-iron, like Jack Nicklaus told me on Tuesday at the Bear's Club.

I think I was just frustrated because I feel like I left a couple of putts out there maybe, but at the same time, I played really well. So it was like eh. I guess that's kind of the weird feeling about it.

In years gone by, particularly when I've played in Europe maybe and even a little bit over here, if I've had a good result, I feel like sometimes I've been -- almost coasted a little bit the following week, and it's like, well, I had a good result last week. I just kind of coast a little bit through the next week because it's kind of hard to get yourself up for it again, and also a different golf course, might be a different feel or whatever.

I kind of had the four hours to drive there the following Monday and obviously thought a lot about that. It was like I kind of talked to myself, if you're playing well, let's keep it going. Go out and have another great week and don't take your foot off the gas basically.

I think in years gone by I probably could have just coasted to like a little bit less intensity and just kind of going through the motions a little bit, but I was kind of determined that week not to do that, and to come out on top obviously is amazing.

But I did think I was kind of, after not being 2- or 3-under after 6 when I had chances to be, I did feel the tournament people would be miles ahead. I got to like 7, 8, 9, and 9-under is still leading, I was kind of shocked. So it was nice to be in that position.

Q. You're known for your meticulous note-taking. I'm curious, did you start taking notes your first Masters, and how has it progressed over these years?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I've still got the same notes I took. They're still in my book, little things. I remember playing in a practice round with Justin Rose in 2014 when I was an amateur. He gave me some advice about the first hole and just hitting it center of the green, giving yourself 20 feet every time, you're never going to go wrong. That's still in my book. So you use that.

Just a lot of the stuff is where to miss to different flags and where the best places are that you feel like you can get up-and-down and have a shot still and more likely to get up-and-down, as well as breaks on the greens just from hitting putts over the years. Well, that one did that. That was a bit different from what I saw or maybe needed to do more. Yeah, I still have a lot of that in my book.

Q. On that, did you learn something last year that entered your book? In the last round.

MATT FITZPATRICK: Not that I can think of off the top of my head.

Q. Going back to your first Masters, all the way back, can you think of the one shot you hit that was the most memorable that week and what made it so memorable?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I remember -- I don't remember too much about it. I just remember making double on the 1st, so that was good. Then I remember making a great up-and-down on 17 for par to give myself a chance of making birdie on the last to make the cut, and hit a good shot into 18, but missed the putt.

Yeah, it was a great experience. I was thinking about it the other day. It's hard to believe it was so long ago. Another time I remember missing the cut and being disappointed and whatnot, but I don't ever remember thinking to myself that's it, I might never play here again. I don't ever remember that entering my head. So to think that this will be my 12th is pretty cool.

Q. Was it a great shot, great chip, or a great putt on 17?

MATT FITZPATRICK: It was a good putt. I was in the front right trap and then hit bunker shot to like 18 feet and made it.

Q. You mentioned having a psychologist with you at the Sunday during that tournament. I'm curious for you coming to your 12th Masters, how important is it -- you don't have to go into specifics about the conversations you guys have, but just having that mental support when you're going through something that can be pretty taxing? Especially not winning time and time again, talk about how important that is, the psychological aspect of it all?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I think it just goes back to the expectation standpoint. Coming here last year, I was pretty lost. I just wasn't playing well. It was basically my lowest point here really. I just didn't play well or couldn't figure it out and whatnot.

Obviously at that point, it's kind of, well, you don't know what kind of golf is going to come next. I think to be here today doing a press conference, because normally only special people get asked to do press conferences, there's obviously a big turnaround.

I think it's taking the confidence from that that things have improved so much from where they were last year, but as well as having those expectations that you can't have the high expectations of, yeah, okay, I'm playing really well, but golf is golf. It can change quickly, or it can continue for how it is.

It's just trying to not be too overconfident, I guess, is the best way to describe it.

Q. Is your psychologist here with you this week?

MATT FITZPATRICK: No, not this week, no.

Q. The 13th tee is so secluded from the patrons, the cameras, and the overall tournament buzz. For those who will never experience it, what is it like? What goes through your mind when you're there? What are you feeling? What are you seeing?

MATT FITZPATRICK: It's probably different for me. I've never been in contention here, so it's not like I've kind of had to have any peace moments out there. It's just kind of playing every round as it is. It's nothing exciting, unfortunately, to tell you.

It is really nice. You can't hear anything back there really, just like a low buzz of the crowd and stuff. It's obviously a great-looking tee box as well. I wish it was a bit further forward for me. Yeah, on the whole, it's a nice place to be.

Q. After the Valspar win, you talked about your work with Mark Blackburn, and specifically the approach play has been amazing. Can you just describe in your words maybe the change in the swing pattern from when you were distance chasing a little bit with the driver and where you are now and why that's so important, of course, this week with firm, fast greens and the way you're going to need to hit your approach shots?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I think, to try to put it quickly, as it was explained to me, was that the stack made me go a little more lateral and slide a bit more, which with the driver it's great because I can hit draws pretty comfortably and get a lot of speed from that.

I guess being a little bit more lateral, I guess, creates a little bit more speed maybe. That's kind of what the stack did. It was awesome for my driver, and that kind of pattern crept a little bit into my irons.

I was trying to hit cuts the whole time with my irons, so that's obviously the opposite of that.

Then with Mark, he was trying to get a little bit more, to put it simply, rotational, I guess. And that was the big focus from when I started working with him was more rotational with the irons and kind of leave the driver for now, but then I think all that work with the irons kind of crept into the driver, which probably balanced the driver out a little bit.

When we first started working, my irons had a real quick uptick, and my driving wasn't quite as good. So, yeah, that's kind of where it's at, I guess. Rather than slide in, just a little bit more rotational and can control the depth of the club better. The big things being my retraction as well in my scaps and just shortening my arm length because, if I have more extension, I'm going to catch the ball heavier and close the face as opposed to keeping it open.