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THE HONDA CLASSIC

February 24, 2016

Rickie Fowler

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

AMANDA HERRINGTON: Rickie, thank you for joining us here in the interview room here at the Honda Classic. So it's been a couple weeks since Phoenix, looking into this week, can you catch us up how you spent the last two weeks since Phoenix and being at a place where you do get to sleep in your own bed.

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, it's been nice. Came home after being gone for two months and finally got to get some rest and check on the house, check on the cars. Got to play a lot of golf, so that's been fun.

Yeah, so I've been looking forward to this week. This is one of my favorite weeks of the year, being able to stay in my own bed and a lot of friends around the area, being that I've lived here for quite a while now.

Yeah, excited for the way I've been playing and looking forward to a good week here.

Q. You said that in Phoenix that was going to be a tough loss to swallow because of your family being there and not having won in front of your dad and grandfather, etc. How long did it take you to get over that?
RICKIE FOWLER: I mean, I'm fine. It's obviously one that I wanted to get. Felt like I was in a great position to get it, but I've been playing well, all through last summer, through the fall.

Just really focusing on this week and see if we can get off to a good, solid start. This is a tougher course that we play. You have to be pretty precise from tee-to-green, and so biggest thing is focusing on this.

Like I said, I've been playing well, and yeah, Phoenix was unfortunate not to get the win there. Hideki played some amazing golf down the stretch. Came up just short. Someone had to win, someone had to lose, so yeah, just excited to be able to spend some time at home, hang out with some friends and see if we can make this one a good one.

Q. I know that over the off-season, you worked with Butch on hitting a fade, more of what you call a real fade. How do you think, if you don't mind if I jump ahead, how do you think that can help you at Augusta, like certain holes like 1, 5, 11, 17?
RICKIE FOWLER: We really didn't work on hitting a fade really. I think a lot of the focus was mainly on some of the shorter irons and working on dialing in some distance control, and really the last couple weeks been focusing on making sure the ball is turning over and hitting some draws, which I'll be working on a bit more the next few weeks in positions where trying to hit some shots that I may need going forward to Augusta.

The things that you can't really recreate are the lies that you get at Augusta. So those are lies that you never see through the year, the amount of slope downhill, uphill or side slope. If we can just kind of work on getting the game, I guess kind of where it's been and tighten it up a little bit, we'll be in a great position for Augusta.

Q. Two-part question. What do you like best about the Champions Course and what do you fear the most about it?
RICKIE FOWLER: I love it that it's a ball-striker's golf course. You've got to drive the ball well to give yourself an opportunity to get a ball close on the greens.

Yeah, putting can save you, but you've got to be solid tee-to-green here. I feel like it brings out some of the guys that are hitting the ball the best that week. I don't like all the water. I've got to try and stay away from that.

No, it's a good test of golf here. Like I said, you've got to be on point tee-to-green. You can't fake it around here. It's a good test, and especially when we get the kind of standard 10- to 20-mile-an-hour winds.

Q. What have you learned through trial and error about what's best for you, the best way for you to prepare for a major, and how are you implementing that as you get ready for the Masters?
RICKIE FOWLER: Just making sure that I'm ready and comfortable when it's time to tee off on Thursday. Some weeks, it's better playing into a major. There's somewhere it's been better spending some time at the course prior, some places that we haven't been before.

So I know going into Augusta, really the focus right now these next two weeks, see where the game is at and really see what we need to work on those next coming weeks. Obviously have some big events in there.

Yeah, my main focus is really just making sure that I'm well rested and going to be ready to tee it up Thursday at Augusta.

Q. If I can just follow-up, we heard that you played with Michael Jordan recently at the Floridian. Do you pick his brain on performances and big moments and just kind of how he pulled them off?
RICKIE FOWLER: I don't talk to him a whole lot about that. I feel like more so, just watching him and how he handles himself on the golf course. You know, how much confidence he has in a game that is not his profession, but how he can kind of I guess succeed in some of the big moments when there might be a putt on the line, or he needs to get a ball up-and-down.

It's definitely fun to see him outside of his comfort zone in a way, even though he can get the ball around just fine. I think I get a lot out of that, and it's always fun playing with him.

Q. What element of being like one of the game's ambassadors do you enjoy the most, and maybe what's most challenging about that role, maybe signing all the autographs, and dealing with fans, even like today, taking all the pictures and doing that.
RICKIE FOWLER: It's all part of it. It's fun. It's pretty cool to be in the position that I'm in.

You know, some people may look at it as it takes a lot of extra time. I guess if you want to be one of the best players in the world and have a chance to influence the younger generation and have a chance to possibly make a difference in the game, I love it. It's an honor to be in that position.

I always dreamed of being just on the PGA TOUR, and now to have a chance of actually being a top player in the world and to be partnered up with different organizations, just helping out with the AJGA to First Tee to PGA Junior League and having all these ties to junior golf, it's fun for me. Yeah, it may take more time, but it's special.

Q. And who is the best example for you growing up? I know you mention your parents a lot and things, but maybe what one person served as the best example to show you how to handle people. Phil was praising the way you're able just to do that.
RICKIE FOWLER: Early on, I spent a lot of time with Tom Pernice when I was in high school. I felt like I learned a lot from him on and off the golf course there. And when I came out here, I feel like there was a handful of guys that I got a little bit here and there off of.

Phil's probably been the biggest help, the most influential to me, and someone that I've always looked up to. Now to be able to call him a close friend and be able to spend the amount of time that I get to with him, yeah, he's been a great person that I've been able to look up to and a role model.

Q. You've all been a trend setter in terms of your look. Lately, it seems like the PGA TOUR is getting a little less conservative as it relates to beards and tattoos and even your shoes and pants that you wear. How important is it for someone of your generation and your age, to see it go in this direction as far as growing the game and in terms of being more progressive as it relates to its aura?
RICKIE FOWLER: I think just kind of, you know, opening a few more doors as far as showing people that it's not just one way in, and you know, you can have fun playing golf. It's a cool, fun game. It's not just one type of person that can play or one type of person that does play.

You know, I have a lot of friends in the action sports industry and me coming from that side of things; that's more of who I am. I love the crossover aspect of that. All my buddies from riding supercross to skate to BMX to anything that gets the adrenaline going, they all love to play golf.

And it's kind of different, because you think they are adrenaline junkies and they would want something that really pushes them to the limits. And they get days off and they love to just go play golf with their buddies.

I think the more doors that can be opened with sticking inside tradition and respecting the game, that's what's going to bring the younger generation, and not just the kids that know golf, but ones that maybe come from different avenues.

Q. Being local and being active in the local community, what's it like to see such tremendous support out here for you today, all the kids wearing orange and all that type of stuff?
RICKIE FOWLER: I love it. This is obviously a great event for me. I get to, like I said, stay in my own bed, 15 minutes away; a lot of friends in town and getting to know more people over the past five years or so.

And now, I know Honda extended their title sponsorship for the next five years going on, which is awesome, and with Cobra PUMA jumping on and being a little bit part of the event and having a setup over there on 17 in the Bear Trap, it's cool.

It's a fun event, and it gets a little rowdy over there, nothing too crazy, but it's fun. Just happens to be on the hardest par 3 we play all year, no pressure. No, it's fun. For me, like I said, I get to stay at home, drive my cars here, a lot of friends, and yeah, this is kind of like my second home in a way. It is my residence, though.

Q. To piggyback off that, what's it like to see all the kids out here that idolize and support you? What does it mean to be a role model for them?
RICKIE FOWLER: It's really cool. Like I mentioned, being a part of the PGA junior league, along with a few other people, I think Rory, Michelle, Lexi. It's always fun to have the young fans out. I feel like whether you're playing good or bad, you look over and see them out, it makes you appreciate and understand what we are get to go do out there on a daily basis.

So no, I've gotten to spend a bit of time with some of the Juniors down here in the area, and it's always fun getting to spend -- or just hang out with them and watch them hit balls or they will watch me.

Q. You referred to 17 as one of the toughest par 3s that you play on TOUR. Would you talk about the Bear Trap just as a three-hole stretch and what it's like as a player, especially where it's at in the round?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, especially once you get to the weekend, obviously that's right at the finish of the round. 15, 16, 17, they are very tough. All of it really depends on the wind. With the wind in a certain direction, they can play a lot harder than others.

But 15 is not a long hole by any means, back into the wind. It's not fun.

16, it's really not a long par 4 but it kind of forces you to lay up and then you have somewhat of a long shot in.

17, if the wind is out of the left, I think it is probably the hardest par 3 that we play, or into the wind any which way.

So it's a tough three-hole stretch. There's obviously quite a bit of water in play. You hit a couple bad shots and those greens start to look a lot smaller. But I feel like if you get through there, even par and better on a daily basis or through the week, that can help you. It can give you a lot of confidence knowing that you've played some of the toughest three holes that we kind of play through the year.

So it could be a good thing; could be bad.

Q. When you're home playing Medalist, Bear's Club, who are the TOUR guys that you spend most of your time practicing and playing with?
RICKIE FOWLER: Let's see, from Justin Thomas, Kevin Tway, Brooks to Keegan, Dustin, Camilo, Luke, Ernie, Michelle. Then there's a handful of guys, I think I have four or five of my college teammates, Peter, Morgan Hoffmann, I mentioned Kevin, Drew Page, Jon McLean spends some time down here. I'm probably forgetting some guys. Some guys have been at my house and lived there at times.

There's a great group down here. Play and practice a little bit with Rory when he's in town. Try and get Tiger out but we might have to wait a little bit for that right now.

It's fun. Whenever we come home, there's always a game. There's always someone to play with. It's nice to have some guys to practice or play with on a weekly basis.

Q. You and Bubba have had a little fun about this No. 4 ranking going back and forth. How important would it be for you to crack -- to get to that top three, and also, Bubba seems to be as hard to understand the kind of person he is, he seems to be a very good friend of yours. I wonder if you can talk about what kind of person he really is.
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, Bubba is one of my closest friends. Him and I spent a lot of time together the past five years or so. He's definitely excited to be in front of me in the rankings right now.

I actually sent him a text today, I haven't bothered him after he won, but told him congrats and thanks for jumping me. If I could sneak back in front of him this week, I'm sure I would get a text or I'm going to send him a text right after.

No, it's fun. It's so competitive but all the guys at the top, they are all close friends of mine. You want to see them play well, but at the same time, you want to beat them as bad as possible.

But yeah, Bubba's Bubba. Like I said, I know him very well, and love him, love his family. They are an awesome group with the whole -- from Teddy to Rach, their nanny, the kids and everything. They are fun to be around and it's been cool to see Bubba grow up a little bit, having the dad role now. But he's a special person. He loves his family. Loves what he gets to do. He's pretty talented.

Q. 28 percent of all golfers are millennials who are playing nearly 100 million rounds per year and you've been a huge reason for that increase. How do we continue to increase participation for that 18- to 34-year-old age group?
RICKIE FOWLER: I think, talked about with Tim, just kind of opening more doors and making golf seem a little bit more inviting to more and more people. And then with kind of the junior setup, with different associations coming up with different ways to make it fun for junior golfers, which from then on, they are going to be 18 down the road and continuing to play the game hopefully.

But I think it's just making it fun, making it, like I said, a little bit more inviting and people wanting to come out and just have a good time. Yeah, a full round of golf can take awhile.

I know I did a Play 9 initiative with the USGA a couple years ago. Sometimes you get out and go play for a couple hours, go hit some balls, and whatever you can do to get out and have a good time. I know growing up, always just had fun at the driving range betting against my friends, whether it was for candy bar or something, I don't know, quarters, dollar. I used to always love the competition side of it. Keeping it fun.

Q. I don't know, you probably didn't see it, Tiger released a video today where he's hitting balls in a simulator with a 9-iron, worked his way up. He's been chipping and putting. Just overall, how excited would you be to see him healthy and back in the mix again?
RICKIE FOWLER: That was the first thing Steve DiMeglio showed me today. He was pretty excited about it. So, yes, I have seen it.

It's awesome to see that he's able to make some swings right now. I mean, it would not hurt the game to have him back playing as soon as possible. I think the biggest thing right now is to make sure that he's healthy. That's the main issue.

So I look forward to maybe getting him out. I'll see if I can beat him if he's using 9-iron and down. We'll go from there. We'll try and build him up a little bit (smiling).

Q. Are you playing Bay Hill?
RICKIE FOWLER: That's up in the air right now. I'm working on that.

Q. You ever wear pink like Arnie?
RICKIE FOWLER: I have, yeah.

Q. I figured. I just didn't remember. A serious question. The genesis of just like your calm, your maturity you've had since you got out here, you talk about influences maybe of Phil, like how you handle the fans, but the genesis of maybe kind of that calm that you have and maturity, where do you think that stems from?
RICKIE FOWLER: I think from my family, immediate family, my parents and my grandparents, and then also from growing up under Barry's coaching. He's very old school, and I think just kind of helped me along the way to understand that, I mean, obviously once you hit a shot, it's done. There's nothing you can do about it. So best thing to do is kind of move on.

Yeah, I do get mad. I get upset out there. But try not to show a whole lot of it. I'll let off a little bit of steam here and there. Sometimes it's needed just to move on, but that's really the main focus, if you do see me get upset or something like that, it's just trying to get out of the way and go and try and figure it out from there.

Q. When you look back at the majors you've been in where you've been really close to winning, can you think of one that you think you learned the most from, and if, so can you share what you took from that?
RICKIE FOWLER: I think the PGA '14, just being actually in a position where I could win the golf tournament. I had a few where I was obviously coming from a little ways behind and it was a bit of a long shot.

But the PGA there, I was in a position going into the back nine where I had a chance to win the golf tournament, and a couple missed shots, didn't make any putts. I end up finishing third.

So just being in that situation in the heat of the moment, I feel like that helped me to win this last year, and then putting those all together is going to give me a good chance of being in the right position again this year.

AMANDA HERRINGTON: As always, thank you for your time and good luck this week.

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