OPEN DE FRANCE

September 27, 2026

Matt Fitzpatrick

Le Golf National

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Okay, everyone, I'm delighted to welcome our 2026 FedEx Open de France champion Matt Fitzpatrick. Congratulations, Matt. This is your 11th DP World Tour win, first here in France. How special is that one?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, always amazing to win anywhere. To win the French Open with the history it has, and just look in here, you've got Sir Nick Faldo twice here and Seve Ballesteros, it's nice to be sort of a part of those names.

THE MODERATOR: You were really consistent this week, but I'm assuming your patience was tested out there, particularly today.

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, obviously didn't get off to the start that I necessarily wanted. Hit a great shot into 1 and thought, okay, well, kind of continue the momentum. And, yeah, just a bit of a battle the first 12 holes.

But sort of those last six, I really felt like I played some of my best stuff. So nice to close out the way I did.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Matt, you seemed to have kind of a conservative game plan on the course today, targeting the middle of the greens. Is it in your head like overnight to kind of make the most of the five-shot advantage and play conservatively, or did you have a feeling that your game, that was the state of your game today and that you had to deal with it on the course?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, it was a combination. You know when you have a healthy lead that you obviously have shots to spare. Perfect world in my mind I thought shoot 3-under today and someone has got to shoot 9 to beat me at least, which is obviously difficult. I know it's been done already this week, but it is obviously difficult to do that.

I think some of those shots that you're probably mentioning coming down the stretch, at that point you've got two- or three-shot lead, and you want to just keep applying the pressure. You're not trying to go for flags. There's no need to sort of give any shots away.

I think that was my biggest thing, particularly coming down those last five, six, holes. I was in position to be able to do that, to be able to play away 30 feet and two-putt and get out. And obviously it was nice to sort of steal one on 15 there as well.

But, yeah, obviously when you do have that advantage, it's easy to just play too conservative. But the targets that we discussed at the start of the day were the targets that we played for, minus those last few holes where you have a healthy cushion.

Q. Obviously the ball-striking was not as consistent as the previous day. But the putting was amazing. Is it the part of your game that you are the most happy with?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I'm super proud of my putting this week. It was really, really good. Since the Canadian Open, we've sort of worked on a couple things, and just my routine and just sort of clarity over the ball has been way better.

So I feel like since then I've definitely felt more confidence in it and hitting better putts and making more as well. So today was almost like the pinnacle of that, I guess. I just putted fantastic today.

Q. About Tom Vaillant, you didn't know him, it was his first time in the last group of such a big tournament. What did you think about his game and his mental? I know he's a good friend of your brother.

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yes, Tom is a really solid player. I was really impressed. He hit a lot of great shots and didn't really, you know, shy away from trying to make birdies.

I think he's obviously -- he's got a great swing, and he's definitely, yeah, just a really, really solid all-around player, it seems like. And I think there's just a few things, couple things here and there that, you know, he can probably sharpen up, and there's no reason why he can't conquer with.

Q. There was a player in your group that the crowd wanted to see win it all, more than you actually. However, there has been I think a popularity bonus on European Ryder Cup players on this course in front of the French crowd. Throughout this week, how comfortable was the French crowd to play in front of?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, it was great. Felt like a lot of support first two days, playing with Viktor and Ludvig. Definitely felt that as well. And it was really cool.

I think, like you say, I've been in the Ryder Cup here in 2018, obviously was a really big deal, and I think French golf fans sort of came out again this week and showed that support.

So, yeah, definitely felt like I had that, which was nice. Obviously Tom has a little bit more, which he deserves because he's French. But it was nice not to get, you know, any heat, I guess.

Q. What is the next step of the season for you? Are you going to play the tournament next week, I guess, and then?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I'm not sure yet. Not sure yet. Up in the air. I'll play next week home with my mom and dad, and Alex is playing as well. So we'll play there and then, you know, just have some time off and practise and start sort of my off-season training.

Q. The Race to Dubai could be the nice icing on the cake?

MATT FITZPATRICK: It could be, yeah. Yeah. It could be. Yeah, we'll see. We'll see.

Q. Are you going to maybe meet some players you know very well out there and tell them, hey, I went to the French Open, actually won it, and you should come on?

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yeah, listen, I obviously haven't been for eight years. I think the difficulty, and I couldn't tell you this from year to year, the difficulty has been obviously the way -- where it has been in the schedule because I don't feel like it's always been here in September.

I obviously looked already at next year's schedule and when it is, and, you know, that can be difficult for a lot of top players given what event is the following week.

Q. Ryder Cup next year.

MATT FITZPATRICK: Yes, yes. So that could be difficult.

So it's one of those I think the golf course is fantastic. I think it's a great test. I've always thought that. I never really had too many good results here, up until this week. I could understand why some guys maybe don't want to play it because it can be so difficult. I certainly know that in the past.

But, you know, it's a good, challenging golf course, and you've got to hit good shots, and particularly the closing stretch is one of the hardest we play all year.