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OLYMPIC GAMES RIO 2016: GOLF

August 13, 2016

Rickie Fowler

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Q. Did you find something from last night overnight?
RICKIE FOWLER: No. That's just how much of a fine line it's been and how close the game has been. Be nice to continue that. That would be kind of a jump start to where I want things to go. It would be nice to get off to a good, solid start tomorrow.
Today was great. Did a lot of things well. There was a couple wind gust mysteries, but having made the two bogeys on the back nine, I wanted to‑‑ I talked to you guys yesterday about going bogey‑free on the weekend. That's out. But still, a good solid round, and finishing with birdie on 17, 18, definitely gave me a chance going into tomorrow to potentially get myself on the podium.

Q. When you get to the turn in 29, what do you think is possible on the back?
RICKIE FOWLER: With where the wind was earlier, a little bit different direction than it is right now, I thought that something in the low 60s was out there. But with where it switched to, it definitely picked up a little bit. Made that middle stretch of 11 through 15, that's probably the hardest stretch on the golf course.
Yeah, you can play the front nine well, but getting through there under par can be tough. 12 is probably one of the hardest holes out here, and 13, with where the pin is at today, is tough. 15's 240 off the left to a back left pin. Nothing's really easy on the back, so I knew I was going to have to hang on there.
Normally, you get your scoring chances, 16, 17, 18. But 16 off the right and the pin was in a tough spot; and then 17, 18, you play them straight back into the teeth, so they are no gimmies.

Q. So now that you've got yourself in this position, what do you think you have to do tomorrow?
RICKIE FOWLER: Big thing, I've got to play the front nine well. Like I talked about, that's a little bit where some of the scoring is at. Depending on where the wind is at, 1 and 4, the par 5s, need to try and take advantage of those and be a few under. Be nice to be a few under by the turn and go from there, yeah.
Obviously playing, once you do that, playing 11 through 15 is going to be key. Tough stretch, and then like I talked about, the course really depends on where the wind is. 16, 17, 18, with the right wind, somebody can go birdie, birdie, eagle. With the wrong wind, it could be tough to hang on and play those three holes even par with a lead.

Q. You talked about just playing your way on to the podium tomorrow. Does it feel at all different, because you're in this position at a normal event, you might have a different mind‑set going into tomorrow, as opposed to if I can just post a number and get to third or second?
RICKIE FOWLER: I feel like I'm going to be in a decent position. Obviously it will depend on what the guys do this afternoon out here and what some of the scores end up being, but I'm at least giving myself a chance now with the way it looks. If I go out and play well tomorrow, I could sneak up there. Yeah, normally you don't get rewarded much for second and third, but here, you can walk away with some hardware. Getting the gold may be a little bit of a far stretch right now, but you never know.

Q. Overall, do you feel like the Olympic spirit is in the air, especially Saturday, bigger crowds, more enthusiasm?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, the whole experience down here has been awesome. The only thing that hasn't been decent or good was my golf game, or my scoring, I should say. The golf game has been close like I talked about. Today was a good experience for me on the golf course. Nice to have some friends, other athletes, that came out to watch.
It's definitely a different vibe at the Olympics, and having other athletes come out and watch and being able to go watch other athletes compete, it's a special, special week, and something I'm going to remember forever.

Q. Are you getting a sense from folks from other countries, countries where golf is not as developed in the States, that they are watching and into it, and the grow‑the‑game thing could work in other places?
RICKIE FOWLER: I definitely think it could work. For sure it's not going to hurt it. Being down here, I've spent some time in the gym; it's a little tough being in the gym with some of these athletes here.
But I've been able to get my work in, and it's nice having my trainer here. But they have a couple big screens and TVs in the gym, so what's cool is they rotate through a lot of the sports, and I'm sure golf is sneaking up there every once in awhile. There's probably a lot of people in there working out that don't watch golf on a normal basis, and seeing us be here as part of the Olympics, it's at least creating awareness, that's for sure.

Q. I'm assuming you left a little frustrated yesterday. How do you leave today?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I mean, after the first two rounds, very frustrated, knowing that it was so close to being‑‑ some good golf being played. Right now, I'm excited about going forward tomorrow and with this stretch coming back, playing my way into good form.

Q. Have you seen any snakes or animals around?
RICKIE FOWLER: Oh, yeah. Seen a lot of capybaras, caiman, owls. I haven't seen any snakes. I've heard about them, though.

Q. Seems like a decent gallery following you; one Brazilian travelled from São Paulo. How important is it to you to help grow the game and inspire that next generation?
RICKIE FOWLER: That's great to hear. It's cool to be able to go to some different parts of the world, a place that I haven't been before, down here, even at all South America; and to hear stories like that, it shows that potentially we can have a difference, not just me, but the other guys out here, in golf being in the Olympics to potentially help grow the game around the world. It's always fun, like I said, seeing fans in new places. There's always surprises. It's cool.

Q. We saw last night, Joseph Schooling, Singaporean the swimmer, eight years ago with Michael Phelps‑‑
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I saw that picture.

Q. Do you see something like that happening maybe with the kids here watching this week?
RICKIE FOWLER: You never know. A story like that, pretty special. You could obviously see it last night with Phelps being there, I know he was in the lane right next to him, but being the first one to congratulate him and knowing where he's come from, and obviously Michael being someone that inspired him.
I think it could be cool to experience that down the road. To see someone that's been around or watched me or other guys like I talked about, not just me having an influence. And to see a story like that where a kid gets inspired, and takes it to being out here and beating up on us.

Q. Do you have any orange Team USA outfit for tomorrow?
RICKIE FOWLER: No, we are in team uni's.

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