ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS

April 22, 2026

Matt Fitzpatrick

Alex Fitzpatrick

TPC Louisiana

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome the Fitzpatrick brothers, Matt and Alex, to the Zurich Classic. You guys are making your fourth consecutive appearance here as a team. What's like to be back here in New Orleans?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, it's awesome. We love being here, and it's always a lot of fun. Yeah, just always great to be back and playing with Alex. It's been a nice start to the year for both of us, so happy to be here.

ALEX FITZPATRICK: Same as what he said really. Just being here together, being with my family. Obviously loving the food. It will be a fun week.

THE MODERATOR: Congrats on your win last week. What have the past couple of days looked like for you?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, pretty light. Monday was a travel day, and then yesterday was a little bit of practice, but yeah, just trying to kind of get some rest and get ready for Thursday really. Yeah, it's mainly just replying to a lot of congratulations messages and just trying to, yeah, rest.

THE MODERATOR: Two wins already this season. Alex, you won on the DP World Tour also. How cool has it been to see each other's success so early on in the season?

ALEX FITZPATRICK: He gave me about a week of my moment, so it was fun while it lasted. No, it's amazing.

Yeah, kind of a whirlwind of a month. Yeah, the start of the year you kind of -- you know, you wouldn't have thought about having a month like that, so it was pretty cool to kind of share the moment with him, yeah, so far this year.

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, it's been awesome. I'm so happy for him to get that win. He had a season that he struggled in last year, just like myself. To come out this season flying and get a win early was awesome. I was so pleased for him.

Q. How do you feel like your games complement each other in this team format?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I think both of our games have changed so much over the last year as well, so it's kind of hard to -- kind of hard to nail that down, I think. I think we probably won't be able to figure that out until Thursday/Friday, which I'm looking forward to seeing.

Yeah, I think we both have certain strengths, and hopefully they can be seen this week.

Q. Matt, can you say how or explain a little bit about how your brother's game has developed since the time when you guys first started coming to this tournament? Then could you also then sort of take a look and explain to us how from a brother's point of view you see his game and his demeanor having changed from when you first came out here?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I think for me when we first played here and Alex's driving wasn't his strong suit, and you know, he struggled. Great iron play, great short game. Incredible short game really.

I feel like now it's definitely -- you know, he's a strong putter, and he's a strong driver of the golf ball. He's showed that a lot this season already. You know, even just playing a few practice rounds with him this week, we've seen that as well.

Big turnaround. It's really impressive. Obviously it's going to come in handy this week.

ALEX FITZPATRICK: It's funny. Actually I was speaking with my caddie earlier on today. I don't feel like we see each other that often. Not as much as we'd like, but kind of every time I play with him and see his game, there's things that you can are improving. With the results he's had this year, you can tell he's doing the right thing.

Yeah, pretty lucky to have someone like him as my brother and, you know, just picking his brain about things, but yeah, I think with the results, he's one of the best players in the world. I see him improving from there as well.

Q. His ranking now being sort of what it is, clearly one of the best players in the world, coming off a win last week. I know obviously you're biassed. Are you surprised that more people when there's conversations around major championships that Matt's name isn't mentioned along with some of the other players that it seems perennially are seen as the favorites and get a lot of talk?

ALEX FITZPATRICK: Not really, no. You know, your Rorys and Scotties of the world, they're always going to be the favorites going into the majors and stuff. Unbelievable players.

With all the hard work that I've seen him do and all the behind-the-scenes stuff that I've seen, it's hard to say I didn't expect it. I did expect it. Sorry. Golf is a hard enough game. To see him from last year where he wasn't playing the golf he wanted to to now winning multiple events in the year, I think, yeah, he'll contend at all the majors he wants to this year. Hopefully I didn't jinx it, but it wouldn't surprise me if I see him pick one off. That would be pretty cool.

Q. Do you feel there are some times where you are overlooked?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I think all relative. You are always going to have guys in and around form, in and around the majors. You know, realistically I haven't -- since winning the U.S. Open, I haven't really shown that.

Last year I did at The Open and even at the PGA I had a chance, but that was still early on in some of the changes I was making.

Yeah, like I say, I do feel it's all relative. If you're in form going into the majors, you're always going to be someone that's going to be looked at. Obviously I would assume, which I hate doing, I hate assuming, all of a sudden I'm going to be one of the favorites of the PGA. Two months ago that was probably never the case.

So it all comes to with, I guess, the form you're in and people's talking points and history, I guess. It doesn't really bother me either way. It's, like, you know, it's great to have the recognition, but also, happy to fly under the radar too.

Q. Is the ranking out give you affirmation to the work that you've done? Do you feel different at all, or is this something that people in the media, maybe fans, take a look at, and we make a bigger deal of it than you personally would make a big deal of it?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I definitely feel like it's -- I've always believed in myself that I could achieve some of the things I have already achieved. I feel like my game probably wasn't -- didn't necessarily match my own expectations or beliefs maybe a few years ago.

I feel like now I'm a different player. My game is very much different to where it was in the past, and obviously the results so far this season have kind of matched up more to the beliefs that I've had in myself and my own ability to contend.

I think because of that, it's obviously nice to have that confidence going into the season and going into the rest of the events. Like I say, I'm also always happy to be flying under the radar. It doesn't bother me at all.

Q. Would you say when you first came here as a brother tandem that it was just kind of the novelty and the fun of being able to play as brothers? How would you say given your recent form that maybe your expectations for this experience has evolved since the first time you came here together?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I think it's changed over time. I think the first year we played, I'd also won The Heritage the week before. You come in feeling good about your game and in a more relaxed way. Then the last two years it's been probably a bit more of, well, we're playing okay, nothing great, but also trying to enjoy it, but maybe a little bit more pressure.

I feel like this year, yeah, our expectations are higher given the form that we had shown this year, but if anything, I think because of that form, we're probably allowed to enjoy it a little bit more.

Yeah, I definitely think it's mixed, but no reason why we can't go out and play well and have a great week as well as enjoy it.

Q. What would it mean -- I'm not aware that -- there aren't that many team events, but a brother tandem has ever won a PGA TOUR?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Not that I know of, no.

Q. What would it mean to you guys to be able to do that? Do you think it's set up for you in some ways? I know there are some other good teams, but because of the schedule there's been some talk that the field isn't quite what it could have been this year. Is it well set up for you guys in that way?

MATT FITZPATRICK: I don't see why not. The first year we played we finished 9th or 11th. I forget which one. You know, we obviously -- everyone can do it. They look back, and they left a shot out there here and there. We feel like, you know, we have as good a chance as anyone to come out here and have a great result.

So I think you have to have that first and foremost before you tee it up on Thursday. Then obviously once you're out there, you've got to see where you're at and whether you need to, you know, keep pushing or just kind of hold your ground.

Q. Alex, do you have any thoughts on that?

ALEX FITZPATRICK: No, I agree with everything he said. I think especially last year I felt like both of us weren't kind of playing the best of our ability. Coming into the event was a little stressful, and it felt like -- especially wanting to play well for each other, we added that pressure a bit more.

Obviously this year with the form we've both been in, like he said, the expectations are high, but at the same time, it takes the pressure a little off because it feels more like we can enjoy this week rather than, you know, just adding pressure on top of what we're already trying to achieve.

Q. Alex, obviously you say you don't want to feel pressure, but a win gets you a two-and-a-half-year exemption on the tour. Is that something that you think about? Is that a goal in the back of your mind? Do you try not to think about it? What would it mean for you to have a win?

ALEX FITZPATRICK: It would obviously mean a lot. I think the thing is you can't force it. I think that would be something I might be thinking about if we're coming down the stretch on Sunday and we're in contention, but as of now, kind of the focus is on just preparing well and seeing where that takes us.

Yeah, it would be nice to win, but also, yeah, it's just nice to be here with him and have the opportunity to play and compete and see how we get on.

Q. Speaking of focus, do you guys try not to focus on how Sheffield is doing?

ALEX FITZPATRICK: No, we won't be focusing on that, sadly.

Q. You won't lose sleep over it?

ALEX FITZPATRICK: We might still be losing. Yeah.

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, we are.

Q. I didn't know they're playing right now.

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, we are worried, yeah.

ALEX FITZPATRICK: Hopefully we don't play like them.

Q. If you were going into contention, where it was the possibility for a win, how much does that sort of creep into your mind that a win gives you that exemption?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Of course, it does. Listen, winning is really hard. There's no doubt about it. Winning is hard. It's easy to throw around, yeah, it's a two-year exemption, and you get an exemption, and you get an exemption. It's not as straightforward as that.

Any tournament you play, a win is always on your mind. You definitely have to think about being in that position, whether it's on a Thursday or whether it's on a Sunday. You have to at least have thought about it in my opinion to understand what it may feel like, to experience that.

I think when it comes down to it, all you can do is play as well as you can in that moment and hit the shots that you think are the right shots to hit to make the lowest score and win the tournament.

Q. Who would be more nervous, you guys or your parents?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Our parents, for sure. It would be horrendous, I'm sure (laughing).

Q. Would it be easier if you were on the same tour?

MATT FITZPATRICK: It would, yeah. It definitely would, yeah.

ALEX FITZPATRICK: We have to travel a bit more.

MATT FITZPATRICK: For sure.