The English is back in contention in a Major and reacts after the second round of the PGA Championship
Matthew Fitzpatrick is with us now at the 107th PJ Championship. We’ll get right to questions starting here with Juan. So you are one of the few players that have experienced being in contention in a mayor. No. And then and is one of the difficult things. No. So so how do you deal with it and how much that memory know the the emotional memory of this will will help you this week here I think. Yeah of course obviously being in that position before is a huge advantage. Uh, I think the biggest thing for me that I’ll take on is that, you know, I obviously want to win another major. Of course I do, but I’ve already won one. So, you know, I know I feel like there’s less pressure um when you’ve already won one. Um, definitely. Um, maybe that’s a personal thing, but um I think, you know, you can definitely enjoy it as as much as you can. a little probably a little bit more I would say but um yeah just looking forward to to being in the in contention again and um I think that’s the biggest thing is that it’s just nice to be in the position. Back here to Adam Matt, can you pinpoint kind of a turning point in your season when you felt like you started to play golf that you know you called it rubbage of a couple months ago? Yeah, I mean I wouldn’t say I’ve still not had a good result yet. So, you know, and and the game is a results business, but um I would say, you know, Harbortown was a really good good week for me. Um I finished last in put in that week, which is um may have never happened in my career to be honest and I finished 38th or something. So, um I think Harbortown was the big big change. Uh there was a few things that was were different that week and um you know that’s why I feel like since then I feel like I’ve I’ve made progress in in my game and um taken some big steps forward and and like I say hate to be cliche but that you know there’s a lot of good processes going on and um you know I just hopefully the underlying performance is is going to come out over the ideally the next two days but if not the rest of the season changed anything with your putting since Harbortown? No, it’s not just put in. It was It was my whole game. I’ I’ve driven it all right this year actually. That driving’s not been too bad, but uh not hit my ends well enough, not chipped it well enough, and uh not put well enough um so far this year. But um just been a combination of those three and and I feel like I’ve made some strides in that that those areas the last few weeks. What’s been clicking this week? Um I’d say I’d say to every everything really. You know, I really feel like um hit a lot of really good drives. I ends have been under control for for for me. It’s always been a weaker part of my game and and you know to um to see it sort of pay off hit the shots that match my intention. This week has been good and then obviously you know made some puts and chipped it well as well. Up here to Shane. Matt, is there a point at which being in contention at a major starts to feel real, right, compared to like Thursday morning, maybe not Sunday afternoon? Definitely. Is there a place? Yeah, I I would say I would say like Saturday back nine, I think. Um, listen, I know I’m obviously wherever I am right now, but you’ve still got a big first nine and then a big second nine. It’s it’s uh Saturday’s always I feel like the the make or break of of how close you are to the lead or how far away you are um or if you know if you if you’re leading. But um yeah, I would say sat Saturday back nine is kind of where you you’d ideally you’d like to play your best holes of the your best golf tournament for the last 27 in my opinion. We’ll wrap it up down here in front with Jim. Curious um 14. Where’d you drive it? We I uh short right in the rough. Yeah, like on the hill. Awkward second shot. Yeah, very we we just I just chipped it to the middle of green and and had like I think I had 75 ft. I just two puttered from there. We just felt safer. Kind of a let down or a little disappointed because it’s kind it’s a hole you can take advantage of. Um I’m just happy to be playing well this week. Like I’m not you know I I Yeah, of course. It’s it’s a um it’s a hole that you want to you want to birdie. But for me, I’m you know, I’m just trying to play smart. I’m trying to not make silly mistakes. If I look at the bogeies I’ve made this this week so far, there’s only one that really I was, you know, pretty guaranteed. Whereas I feel like the the ones I made on the first day, they were puts that, you know, I’d back myself to hole, you know, eight, nine times out of 10. So, um if I can just keep doing that, not get myself in trouble, then, um you know, I can give myself a chance. Thanks for your time, Matthew. We appreciate it.
