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THE HONDA CLASSICFebruary 26, 2015Rickie FowlerPALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA Q. Nice opening round today, considering the wind out there, how good is that 70? RICKIE FOWLER: It was a nice start, that's for sure. You could put yourself in a big hole today. It was playing tough. Had to drive the ball well. Obviously it's a tough driving course to begin with, let alone the wind. And it made the approach shots a lot harder. I'm happy with it. Left a couple out there. Q. If this wind holds up throughout the week, what part of your gamewill be key? RICKIE FOWLER: Ball‑striking will be key. Obviously chipping and putting and making putts makes things a lot easier, but ball‑striking in the wind is key. Q. What do you expect of the golf course in these conditions? RICKIE FOWLER: It should dry up, as long as the rain stays away. But it's going to play tough. If the wind stays up, it's going to be a good, tough test. Wouldn't really see anyone running away with it. It's tough to play well in the wind. You have to earn it. This morning you could see it that there weren't very many low numbers out there. Q. It was brutal out there. You got off to a good, patient start and let the golf course come to you today. RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, got off to a nice start. I felt like starting on 10 is the harder side, especially when the wind picks up like that. Having 5‑wood into ten for your second shot, that's a par 4 and then having a 4‑iron into 11 and 6‑iron into 12. So tough starting holes when you're talking about trying to control your ball. To get off, make some pars and kind of get things rolling from there, it was nice. Definitely a solid start and happy about that. Q. The greens seemed to be receptive through the course of the round. Is that something that if there's any moisture at all, it gives you a bit of hope? RICKIE FOWLER: If the greens were firm‑‑ with the balls coming in, you wouldn't be able to use the wind and work it with the wind much if it were firm. You have to try and hold it against and the ball comes in a little softer. Hopefully the rain will stay away. It would be nice to see it dry up a little bit. But the wind will keep it tough. Q. Happy with how you're swinging it right now? RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I missed a couple but other than that, I hit a lot of shots off the center of the face. That's the biggest thing in controlling it in the wind. Q. What did you hit on 18? RICKIE FOWLER: 18, I hit 7‑iron. Q. Just comment, tough conditions out there but a solid start for you. RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, obviously happy about my ball‑striking today. It was tough out there. Felt like I stayed very patient. I drove the ball well, which was nice. Got some good work in with Butch last week and definitely showed today with how I was hitting it and how I was swinging it. Looking forward to tomorrow and continuing the good ball striking and see if we can get a few more putts to go in. Q. Is consistency going to be the key this week, not having up‑and‑down rounds? RICKIE FOWLER: Consistency definitely makes it easier, that's for sure. Playing in the wind, shooting around par, a couple under each day is going to be big if it keeps playing this tough. But obviously go day by day and see what happens. Q. You always have big galleries around here. Do you get a kick out of seeing the Rickie Fowler clones out there with the hats and colorful shirts and all that stuff? RICKIE FOWLER: It's fun, especially seeing the kids where the PUMA gear. I had some friends of minute there wearing some of my own gear they probably got out of my closet. It's fun to have the support, obviously being that I live here. Been here for about five years, and a lot of local support. Like I said, it's always cool seeing the support with the PUMA gear. Q. Why does it mean so much to you to make friends with the young fans? RICKIE FOWLER: Just me being me. I'm happy to be in the position I'm in. It was obviously a dream for me to be able to play on the PGA TOUR and didn't really plan to have a big following or anything like that. That just happened. I guess people gravitating towards who I am and how I play and how I carry myself on the golf course, so it's a really cool position to be in to be a role model for the younger generation. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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