Defending U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick is leaning on Ryder Cup Vice Captain and stats guru Edoardo Molinari to help him prepare for the challenge of Los Angeles Country Club.
Fitzpatrick uses Molinari’s analytics platform StatisticGolf to hone his game and is happy to credit the system, and the use of statistics, in helping make him a Major Champion at The Country Club, Brookline, last June.
Now a year on, the Englishman returns as defending champion and has once again asked three-time DP World Tour winner Molinari to help him prepare as the U.S. Open arrives at a brand new venue.
“I spoke to Edoardo Molinari this morning about any questions I might have,” he said.
“He's going to try and have a look and see what he things and give me the best information he can.”
The Englishman tees up this week having only played the course once in 2018 with little recollection and again in February, which he said was a very different prospect to this week.
However, he is excited by the challenge of Los Angeles Country Club, and in particular two of the long par threes that have already garnered a lot of attention and will play as the third and fourth longest in U.S. Open history.
"I played it 2018, I can't really remember too much about it," he said. "I did walk it the Sunday of Riviera again without playing it. It's kind of hard to remember.
"February I think it was a little bit different. I don't think the rough had grown in yet. Obviously now it's a little bit thicker. But yeah, from the pictures I've seen, it looks fantastic. It looks in great shape, and I'm excited.
"I know there's par-3s here that are 293 yards, I think. Might be able to play a bit longer. I would argue that at 78 yards, stood there with a lob wedge in your hand, you're going to be a little bit more intimidated than stood there with a 3-wood in your hand. I would probably say that's pretty truthful amongst everyone in the field.
"I imagine that the target is going to be very small and you're going to have to hit a good shot. I think we need more short par-3s that are challenging, so I'm excited to see what that looks like."
Last year's historic victory was a fitting one. A full-circle moment where he claimed his first Major at the same venue he won the U.S. Amateur in 2013. Despite that, it was the first time Fitzpatrick - at the time World Number 18 - had really felt like he had a good chance at competing in a Major.
This time around, he has a lot more confidence than he did then. His victory came immediately after a tie for fifth at the US PGA Championship, but before that he had only one other top ten in a Major - during the 2016 Masters Tournament.
Previously he would speak with coaches about what other players were doing that he wasn't as he set himself goals of trying to just get into contention. But victory was transformative for his mind-set and now, he plays with a view that if he has his best he can win.
"I think it's obviously been a huge boost," he reflected.
"I think for me winning last year gave me the boost that when I played my best or when I play well I can compete with anyone and I can win a major.
"I think that was the biggest thing for me to take away turning up to events, knowing that, okay, my game feels in good shape. I've got a chance to win this week, whereas maybe previously I've almost felt like I played well and not necessarily competed in majors, whereas now I feel like it's kind of the opposite.
"[Before] It was more about trying to get in contention, just putting myself in that position, giving myself a chance. I wouldn't necessarily say I felt like my best golf could compete with some of the guys out here.
"I know I had conversations with my coaches about that, about what guys did that I didn't. But certainly after last year I feel like I can compete."
That confidence will undoubtedly help Fitzpatrick, whose early season was plagued with an injury setback.
Since then there's been something of a bounce-back: A victory on the PGA Tour in April was followed by a top ten at Memorial two weeks ago and a top 20 in Canada last week, despite a tweak mid-tournament that left him needing some treatment.
It means his preparation hasn't been quite the same as the run up to his victory last year, but Fitzpatrick still thinks his game is in a good place.
"This year I would say is quite a bit different," he said of his preparation.
"I feel like the start of the year, I had a good obviously first event in Hawai'i and then got injured, and that kind of felt like it set me back quite a bit for February and March. Ended up obviously playing well in April.
"I feel like my game is kind of getting in the right place. You asked me at Memorial after round 1 or 2 if I was trending. I certainly felt like Memorial and last week I was playing some good golf. I didn't necessarily score too well last week, but again, I had a slight flare-up on the Friday afternoon with my neck.
"I definitely feel like my game is in better shape. I certainly don't think it's as good as it was last year."
He will get his U.S. Open defence under way alongside Open Championship winner Cameron Smith and American Sam Bennett.
