The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Catching up with former Men's Golf All-American Dylan Frittelli
07.02.2013 | Men's Golf
Frittelli checks in with TexasSports.com following his first victory on the European Challenge Tour.
Gaby Moran, Texas Media Relations
Former Texas All-American Dylan Frittelli shot 17-under 267 in the Karnten Golf Open in St. Veit-Langsee, Austria this past weekend for his first win on the European Challenge Tour, which is similar to the PGA Web.com Tour in the United States.
Frittelli won by three strokes and earned a little over $33,000, enough to propel him to No. 12 in the Challenge Tour Rankings. At the end of the season, the top 15 players in the rankings will earn a players card for the 2014 European Tour season.
Following his victory, Frittelli spent some time catching up with TexasSports.com.
You have been a professional golfer for just over a year now, how has the journey been so far?Â
It has been exciting, tough and rewarding. Having dedicated myself to playing in Europe, I really didn't know what to expect as I had only played one event on the continent before. I've seen some pretty amazing cities but also had to deal with the reality of traveling alone for months on end. The professional golfers lifestyle is certainly a lot more intense than I thought it was going to be. The travel is non-stop and very tiring, but I can truly say I enjoy it. It certainly is not as glamorous as most people think it is, but it sure beats any other alternative.
What has been the biggest lesson you have taken from your time spent at Texas that has helped you with your career?Â
Time management and self-discipline. Coach Murphy and Coach Fields did a wonderful job preparing us for tournaments and doing the relevant behind the scenes work during my college career. I somewhat took that for granted but was keenly aware of its importance when I had to find taxis, trains and hotels on my own. Fortunately, the good habits I created during my four years at Texas when balancing the academic rigors with golf kicked in and I was able to manage my day-to-day activities (which are more numerous than I ever imagined) with the help of my management group and family.
I was honestly pretty tired and worn out. I only made the decision to travel to Austria on the Monday evening before the first round on Thursday. I had played five weeks in a row (Belgium, Canary Islands, Czech Republic, France and Scotland) with an ill-fated twenty-hour trip to Austin only to turn around in a day and head back to Europe after gaining last-minute entry into the French event. So I was honestly in energy-conservation mode during the week, but confident in my game after a solid performance the week before.
What were the conditions like for the tournament? We had the most benign conditions so far this season. We had a small amount of rain and wind during the week but the weather was perfect by European standards. The course was also in superb conditions, and quite similar to some courses I played during college.
Your second round really pushed you into the lead, what was different about that round?Â
Patience. I got off to a slow start compared to the leaders but really tried to stay focused on giving myself birdie chances. After bogeying the easiest hole on the course (Par-5 second hole which was my 11th of the round) I had to remind myself to be patient and not worry about catching the leaders. That patience paid off as I finished birdie-eagle to post my lowest round in Europe this year, and take the lead.
With a four-stroke lead going into the last round, did that put any pressure on you?Â
No. It certainly made me think about many game plans. I was hoping to play the front nine under par and seal the tournament with nine holes to go. However after a two-shot swing on the first hole, I was only two shots clear. The initial game plan was subsequently out of the window and I decided to focus on beating my playing partner on each hole like a Match Play game because it was really a two horse race after the first hole.
What were some of the holes that you felt helped you secure the win in the final round?Â
The turning point was on the 13th hole when I pulled my tee shot on the long par-3 about 40-yards left of the green. I was in heavy rough a long way from the hole with a slim chance of hitting it on the green. I hit an amazing wedge shot to about 10 feet, which caused my nearest rival to mishit his chip shot on the same hole and make a bogey while I rolled in the 10 footer for par and a three shot lead with five to play.
How did you feel when you found out you won your first tournament on the European Challenge Tour?Â
I felt relieved more than anything. The first three rounds were exciting because of the birdies and low scores. However the final round was totally different because of the 20 mph wind that picked up. Fortunately the wind is something I am used to having spent four years in the Texas Hill Country. I think the excitement will come when I sit down and add up the perks of being a Tour winner.
With this win being your second professional win, did you have the same feelings as you did with your first win?Â
No. My first win in South Africa was a more low-key event. Winning in Europe for the first time really means a lot to me, because it is validation of making the tough decision to play in Europe without any prior experience there. This win also helps to set me up to gain my European Tour Card for next year.
What are some of the goals you have for the rest of the 2013 season?Â
My main goal is to finish in the top 15 of the Challenge Tour to gain promotion to the European Tour for 2013. Besides this main goal, I have some short-term goals that will help me reach the top 15. I would also like to end the year in the Top 10 of the Sunshine (South African) Tour Moneylist and win the rookie of the year award.
