Matt Fitzpatrick previews his fourth Ryder Cup, explaining why Team Europe’s bond makes this week “just different,” how Rory McIlroy’s leadership lifts the room, and why at the Ryder Cup “every putt is 50/50.” He addresses handling New York hecklers (“I’m from Sheffield”), his parents’ decision to skip Bethpage, the logic behind pairings (player input + golf balls), and the plan to keep making teams and improving his Ryder Cup record. Plus: how Luke Donald’s schedule nudge (British Masters/European Masters) helped his form.
Fitzpatrick is with us now at the 2025 RDER Cup. Matt, welcome to your fourth RDER Cup. Let’s go ahead and jump right into questions. Dylan, go ahead. What part of this week do you look forward to the most, Matt? Uh, I think just just being with team Europe, you know. Um, obviously, you know, I’ve watched Radic Cups growing up, watched Rory, watch Rosie. Um, you know, even the the vice captains, Jose Maria, Franchesco. Um, and obviously to be in and amongst them on, you know, having the the same goal of of trying to win the RDER Cup this week is is uh is always a special experience. So, yeah, it’s always nice to be um, you know, part part of the team. Are there any teammates that you get more out of this week that kind of come out of their shell or something that wouldn’t happen week in week out? I think everyone does really. Um I think everyone kind of gets involved in in the banter and and you know the um I think that’s that’s the the best thing about it. I think everyone comes out of the shell cuz you know we’re all trying to achieve the same thing. And um I think the great thing is we’re I feel like we have a lot of fun fun doing it as well. So that’s uh that’s what makes this week so so great. Luke, hey Matt. Um kind of a weird question, but uh you know, how do you divorce like something that’s statistically unlikely to happen like a making a 15-footer, right, with something you really want to happen like wanting to make this 15 footer so you win the hole? How do you both know what is probably going to happen and also just like get into like an irrational state almost like Yeah, I feel like this week though it’s kind of the opposite of that. Um, it’s funny my we were watching golf earlier this year and um I can’t remember who it was but they had a put to to win or or play off or whatever it was and it came up on the graph like oh 20% make percentage and my wife said something really funny and she was like oh I really don’t feel like that means anything anyway because I just feel like it’s either going in or it’s not. And I was like yeah I guess when you put it like that like that’s a kind of a good point. I guess every pot’s 50%. Yeah. Um but I think on weeks like this, um I I feel like I’ve noticed that, you know, puts go from everywhere, you know, and puts are missed from everywhere. It’s it really is that that kind of week that, you know, special things happen. Um both good and and bad. And and I think that’s what makes this event so special as well is that um that obviously adds to the atmosphere. It adds to the to the whole experience and and adds to the event. And that’s that’s why I feel like it is such a incredible event to to be a part of. And um when you’re in the middle of playing at it, you you’re basically willing every shot to go close, every putt to go in. And um you know, you’re just hoping that that’s going to add something to to whatever it is that you’re doing. up to Mike 10. Hi Matt. Um I saw a video on social media of you having a little chip around the greens during the practice round yesterday and being on the receiving end of a few heckles. Uh would you say you are a player with thick skin? Uh I mean I’m from Sheffield so that’s probably a good good start. But um yeah I mean it was it was good fun. I think that for me, you know, you’ve got to you got to buy into it, you know, and and I was having a good laugh with those boys and um we we were laughing about it. They were telling me, “Oh, you’re probably going to be here on on Friday or whatever.” I was like, “Yeah, you’re probably right to be fair.” Like, so yeah, we we had a good laugh there. And um they actually followed us for a couple more holes and uh so I think, you know, like you say, you got to you got to take it on the chin, whatever it is. But um again like I like I keep saying it’s it’s what makes this this event so so fun so um so special is is the fans u the fans are what what make this this event and um you know it’s obviously a great opportunity for us to to come and try and play our best golf in front of them. Just as a followup where it has crossed the line in the past is when wives have been targeted by the fans and you’re one of several European players who has an American wife. Have you said anything to Catherine about what to expect this week and how to handle it? Yeah, of course there’s always been conversations about um you know what could happen or what couldn’t happen and um I think everyone’s very well verssed on what what that is. Um you know, but again, we’ve had that conversation between me and her and and she said that, you know, it doesn’t matter. I’ll be out there, whatever. It’s it’s it doesn’t it really doesn’t matter. I’m not going to be affected at all. So, um, everyone knows knows how it is and, um, you know, like like Keegan said in his speech, like Luke said in his speech, I have no doubt everyone’s going to be as as respectful as as they they possibly can. Um, and um, yeah, like like I say, I think that’s what that’s what make that’s what makes it fun, you know, that’s what makes it different. Up here, Mike 19. Hi, Matt. Okay, just following up on that really. I mean, I read a piece a couple of days ago where you mentioned your parents had decided not to come out here, I think, on the back of their experiences at Whistling Straits. Can you just tell us about that? Um, about their decision and just elaborate on it and did you kind of um tell them not to come or you know, I left it I left it completely up to them. I mean, there’s two there’s two things on that, you know, that there is obviously a little bit of that. They didn’t have a great experience in Whistland Straits. that’s that’s not like a lie or anything or or making anything up. But um the other thing is my both my parents are playing next week in the Dunhill. So um they also didn’t really want to ruin that experience as well cuz that’s that’s obviously special to to have have that. So um yeah, it’s it’s a combination. You know, they it’s a it’s a lot of travel. It’s obviously a busy week. It’s a tiring week. And then they obviously want to have a nice week next week as well with me and my brother. So, um, yeah, you know, no denying that they had a they had a bad experience in the past, but, you know, there’s no reason why it has to be like that this time. And just to follow up quickly, I mean, how does that make you feel that they’re not here? Because I know they they travel a lot with you, don’t they, over you? Yeah. Yeah, they’ve been obviously been to a lot, but um, you know, I’m I’m fine with that. You know, they they’ve been to they’ve been to three Ryder Cups already. Uh, you know, two away, two at home. Uh, one at home, sorry. And, um, you know, they’ve seen me in in all sorts of events. So, um, you know, obviously I’m I’ll miss them this week for sure, but, um, you know, I’m not to I know that they’re they’re doing what what’s best for them and and that’s what’s important. So, like 12. Matt, when you look back on it, just how how did that challenge from Luke to kind of go play in both the British and the European Masters uh kind of maybe spark anything uh for you? And just how validating was it to perform in both of those? Uh well, yeah, I mean obviously that that thing I kind of signed up for the British Masters earlier in the year and um the European Masters as well. I I I love playing in Switzerland, you know, I I I I’ve had a good record around there and I enjoy the week as an experience as well. So it’s not just um you know the extra stuff with it that as to why I played uh British Masters. I spoke to Luke the week before and kind of you know put him in the loop of where my head was at. Obviously, I played a lot in the summer to try and, you know, cement that top 50 place as well as get some RDER Cup points. Um, you know, we discussed that it was probably a good thing for me to come to the British Masters and and play. And, um, you know, that’s what I did. Obviously, like you say, it was it was great to have a good result there. And, um, me and my team’s goal for those two weeks would just conserve energy really and and just be smart and not to to burn ourselves out in, you know, obviously in the event that we do make this team. And uh obviously I feel like we did a really good job of that. It was a very uh it was two really nice weeks, two pretty easy weeks from from a practice sense. Um and like you say to go to go and perform as well is obviously always a nice added bonus. Based on kind of how the last few RDER Cups have gone for you, did you ever worry about getting a chance to to be on this stage and kind of getting selected? I think cause it always it always goes through your mind. Uh, of course it does, you know, but um I really kind of believed in my um believed in myself, believed in the form that I’d shown um from from May. Um I, you know, I wasn’t necessarily thinking I was guaranteed a spot, but I felt like I thoroughly deserved to be in the conversation um given given how well I’d played to to the point of of selection. So, um, yeah, it always crosses your mind. You know, Luke has every right to go in whichever direction he wants with a with a captain’s pick, and it’s always easier when you qualify outright. But, um, I really felt like I’ I’d made a really good strong case for myself to to be on the team. Over here with Bob. You’re good, Mark? Yeah. Matt, I just have two quick one. One is regarding Rory. other than the obvious, how good he is on the golf course, can you put into words what he means to this team kind of in the back room as a leader, etc. What does he bring to it? Yeah, he’s he’s obviously a great person to have in and around the team. Um, you know, you’ve you’ve seen in the media over the last however many years how much the RDER Cup means to him. Um, particularly after what he first said about the Rder Cup. Um but you can see it every day in in you know the practice we have the discussions we have his attitude towards the week and and how important it is to him that that he wants to succeed and and that obviously gets everyone else going around him and and we want to be part of that. So um yeah he’s he’s very great in that aspect. Just unrelated to that, when you look at your record here, Ryder Cup record, how bothersome is that to you and how representative is it of how you really have played during that during those cups? Yeah, I don’t, you know, I I’ve said already before this week about my record and um 2016, I I would openly admit I wasn’t ready for that one. Um, you know, I was 21 or whatever I was and um I’d not really played any any real golf in in the States on the PJ tour yet. So, you know, I can I feel like I kind of throw that one out the window a little bit. Um then, you know, 21 I actually felt like I played really well. Um you know, and um you know, I felt like I deserve more than than what I got out of that one. And then, uh Ro Rome was probably the same thing. You know, obviously got my first full point with Rory. We obviously played well in the Friday on the Saturday afternoon as well. And um you know, obviously Max Max played well as well on on the Sunday single. So, yeah, it’s obviously frustrating. Um, but, you know, all I can do is is keep keep qualifying for the teams and keep giving myself the opportunity to to improve on the record. Um, you know, I think, uh, that’s the the biggest thing for me is to to keep putting myself in the position to make the teams. Um, that that’s all I can do. Do one more quick one with Sean right here. Matt, a lot of very elite golfers kind of mention that they don’t feel that they belong until they play in a team event at the RDER Cup. What does it say about pro golfers that they don’t feel that sense of validation until something like this happens to them? Uh, I think I think the fact is that this is this event is obviously just a very different animal. you know, it’s it’s a very different experience to what we have week in week out um as individual players and to be part of something that’s obviously bigger than yourself is uh I think it’s always quite eye opening as to what it means to the other players around you, you know, your peers that you you play with, you play against week in week out. Um to be part of that and to, you know, hopefully have success in it or even have failure in it and come together as a team still. I think that’s that’s what makes it such a a special week. Um, specifically in 2021, you know, we had a a bad result and um, you know, there was no there was no pointing fingers, there was no blaming. There was everyone comes together. It’s like, no, we’ll we’ll get up and we’ll go again in 23 in Rome. And, you know, and that’s that’s what we did. So, I think being able to to play together as a team and and experience that is is what makes um you know, what makes it so special and why why people probably feel that way. Thanks for your time, Matt. We appreciate it. Thank you.
