	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN

November 4, 2018

Rickie Fowler

Las Vegas, Nevada

Q. Rickie, 8-under, 63; the best round of the week. Seemed like all facets of your game were really clicking. How did everything really come together?
RICKIE FOWLER: Felt good on the range. Really body was probably the best it's felt all week. Thought I could really get things going and then hit a 4-iron down the middle of the fairway on the 1st right in the middle of a sand divot, so had to kind of settle. Made some poor swings with irons on 2 and 3.

I told Butch when we were leaving the range this morning, We're just going to go knock down pins. Unfortunately those bad swings didn't exactly go at the pin on the first couple holes, but from 4 on felt like I started making some better swings.

Played the par-3s nice today. Made two 2s on the front nine. Getting in the back nine I knew I was a ways out it. I figured going into today that I needed to get to at least 9 to maybe show those guys something; 11 to maybe have a chance. Probably going to take potentially more, but 11 would've maybe scared them.

So you, no, it was fun. Got things rolling on the back nine birdieing the first four out there. Couple slid by, but solid back nine. It would've been nice to get a couple of those, maybe couple Mulligans. Those always help. Nice to finish on a high note.

Q. Yeah, speaking of a high note, obviously going to have a top 10. Going into next week, The Mayakoba, a place that you were a runner-up year ago, how comfortable are you with your game right now leading into that?
RICKIE FOWLER: It seemed get better and better. I think we continued to shake some rust off every day. Putter felt a lot better today. I'm looking forward to next week. It's a ball-strikers golf course. You got to drive the ball well. A lot of hazards in play. You got to be playing out of the fairway.

I'm looking forward to getting down there. We'll get down there tomorrow afternoon. Probably stick with a very similar setup to what I had in the bag this week. Actually had a 4-iron from game improvement, new F9 irons, and it's an incredible 4-iron. I was hitting it off a lot of tees out here. It may be a sneaky weapon down Mayakoba.

Q. What a good day for you. You told us Thursday you were a little rusty. Obviously found something today.
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, it was nice to kind of shake a bit of rust off every day. Today is the best everything has felt all together. Putted better. Felt like full swing? And irons and driver were good all week, but made some good up and downs. Definitely happy about it.

I mean, we left some out there, but 8-under on Sunday is under never a bad thing.

Q. Did you think on the second nine there you had a chance to win this thing? You were reeling off some nice birdies.
RICKIE FOWLER: Not a legit shot. Going into the day I knew I needed to shoot a little least 9 to potentially 11. So 62 to 60; 59 would've been nice. But it was going to take a low one.

The wind is down; it's a very gettable golf course today. I was going to have to post something early, and didn't exactly have the front nine that I needed to. Wasn't a bad one, but, yeah, got it going on the back with four in a row. I figured might as well just try and make as many birdies as possible with the drivable par-4 and then 16, reachable par-5. Even though there was a couple eagle chances in front of us.

So never completely out of it, but it was still a long shot.

Q. Mayakoba Classic; you're going to Mexico. You're got to feel good with about your chances there.
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I'm excited to get back down there. Had a great time last year finishing second. It's a great golf course. Got to keep the ball in play. There is a lot of hazards and trouble around that course.

I feel like I did a good job of driving the ball this week from drivers to 3-woods to driving iron -- I guess not even driving iron. It's a 4-iron of the game improvement irons we just came out with at Cobra.

So between those three I think we got a really good setup. Looking forward to keeping everything the same, and I think it's going to be perfect for Mayakoba.

Q. 8-under. At what point did it help start feeling like you could win this tournament?
RICKIE FOWLER: Really never thought I had a real shot. I needed a bit -- a little bit more to happen on the front nine there. But it was still fun to rattle off a few to start the back nine. There was a small chance. I had drivable par-4, 15th, and reachable par-5 to follow. I was going to need at least one eagle in there to kind of bump myself up the board.

But made some great swings. Played a good back nine. Definitely happy with the round today and looking forward to getting down to Mayakoba next week.

Q. Any shot or one hole in particular that stands out? 15? Maybe 9?
RICKIE FOWLER: One of the best swings I made all day was probably on 8. I think it was roughly -- it was like a little over 240 hole and right pin. The wind was off the right. Not that we had much wind today, but hit a perfect 4-iron and made a good putt for two, so definitely happy about that.

I had 7-iron into 9, Par-5. I made par there and made two with a 4-iron. We were laughing about it. That's golf.

Q. How would you assess the state of your game first start after the Ryder Cup?
RICKIE FOWLER: I'm happy with it. I didn't play a whole lot golf the last four weeks. Really just kind of rested up and enjoyed some time at home. Got over it Baker's Bay for a couple days. So resting and relaxing. I've been able to swing a little bit in the house. I have a Foresight simulator in there and hit some wedges in the yard. Played a little bit of golf. Nice to see things come together and looking forward to next week.

Q. This is off your round, but analytically between NHL and other sports, so much in analytics. (Regarding Bryson DeChambeau.) You as a leading young golfer, where do you put that in your game, and do you think that could actually take off or it just kind of he does things other people don't?
RICKIE FOWLER: Bryson is always going to do things that other people don't. That's part of what makes him special. It's kind of what makes him tick. It works well for him. He's obviously a great player and he's had a lot of success in the past year or so and through his amateur career and everything.

Yeah, I don't look at a whole a lot of statistics or analytics. We'll look at a few things what we need to work on and what ares can improve, what needs to get better.

Q. You don't see it like in other sports taking off with everybody?
RICKIE FOWLER: No, I don't. I see with baseball and looking at different pitches and statistically what guys throw and where it's positioned, which pitch to swing at, which one has the best percentage of being in your spot that you like to hit.

Our ball doesn't move. It's really -- I'm very much old school kind of feel player. Like I said, we will look at statistics and maybe layouts of how guys have played certain holes and where percentages -- what works out better at times -- but we don't go as deep as Bryson goes.

Q. How does it feel to play in Las Vegas?
RICKIE FOWLER: I always enjoy it. I lived here for a year when I moved out of college and turned pro. I've always enjoyed Vegas. Really anything you want, it's here. There is as much fun as you want to have, good golf, great food. Looking forward to some good food again tonight. Good to be back.

I've played well here and nice to have a good week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297