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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 18, 2019

Rickie Fowler

Farmingdale, New York

Q. How would you assess the day?
RICKIE FOWLER: Go clean some stuff on the range now. Looking forward to having a lot of this ugly stuff behind me.

Q. Brooks atop the leaderboard -- not going to come back, just chasing?
RICKIE FOWLER: Well, I mean, I'm a little too far back to where, you know, I can't really worry about him. I would need for him to come back for me to have a chance, basically.

Q. What is the big picture of what he's been doing, like what Tiger was doing, is there an intimidation factor?
RICKIE FOWLER: Well, at this point, that's the case. I don't look at it as an intimidation factor. We've always looked at Brooks as one of the best players out here and I feel like it's more of a level of respect. It's not necessarily, you know, scared of him or anything. I think he mentioned -- or he made a good comment earlier in the week as far as Tiger being intimidating. We're not worried; he's not coming trying to hit me or anything. If Brooks was going to try and hit me, I'd want him on my side.

But no, we're all out here, we're playing golf against each other. It's not like I'm trying to catch a pass up the middle and he's coming across to hit me. Although, in full contact golf, may be interesting.

But no, it's obviously great to see him play well and put together some rounds like he is right now. I know he just had some trouble in the middle of his round out there, but that kind of happens here at Bethpage. It's impressive stuff.

Q. There's another name up there -- he's proven to be such a good frontrunner. Is there a different demand?
RICKIE FOWLER: No, I don't think so. I look at it as the same way, when Rory's driving the ball well and playing well, and same with DJ, to Rosey, a lot of these -- a lot of top players on the world, and they get, you know, to where they are driving it so well and not putting themselves in trouble, and then having to make a couple putts. It makes it look so easy. You know, I feel like, unfortunately, unlike this week, when I drive it well and play well tee-to-green normally, I feel like I'm, you know, up there with the best in the world tee-to-green and I'm a great putter.

I don't have any doubt that when I'm playing well, that I can go compete and beat anyone in the world, and also, you have to believe that, too, or else you shouldn't be teeing it up against the best in the world. It just shows you kind of the fine line out here when you do have your good stuff. Brooks playing well, this is a course that you can -- that you can distance yourself, but you see guys a little off making some mistakes, and there's a lot of guys bunked up from 6-under, even par.

Q. What about the course, hosting The Ryder Cup, will there be an advantage --
RICKIE FOWLER: Golf course, this is one of I think the best and fairest tests of golf as far as just being long, tough. It's not tricked up. I think the PGA have done a great job of setup throughout the week. Haven't seen anything unfair. It's got penalizing rough. It's just a good, strong setup. It's not an easy place.

Q. But for a Ryder Cup?
RICKIE FOWLER: I would say -- I mean, I would think Ryder Cup, maybe a little more playable rough. You know, this is a major. This is the PGA Championship. You want to make driving a little bit more of a premium. You still want rough to be rough but for a Ryder Cup, a little less. I think you still want to have a premium on driving obviously, but no, it's going to be interesting. It will be loud here.

I don't see it necessarily being an advantage or disadvantage on either side. I mean, Europe obviously has the upper hand. They have won a lot more in the past 20 years. They are kind of in the driver's seat in a way.

So I don't see them coming in afraid. They know what they are going to face here with the crowds. They have all the momentum and confidence going in, but we have a little bit of time ahead of us to see if we can change that.

Q. Are you surprised --
RICKIE FOWLER: You can look at that. That's Jack's old saying, so it's not something that it hasn't been talked about or guys haven't thought about. You look at some of the majors that have guys that qualify to get in and different aspects of which guys are playing, not to take away from anything that's in the field. It's obviously an accomplishment to just be here in itself, but you can look at, yes, there's going to be a handful of guys that aren't going to have their best week and guys that may be a bit of a long shot; then you look at some of the top players, and if you know you are going to go out and play well, and you are playing well, it could be a small group of the guys that you know that can win and those are the ones you have to go beat.

You look at any normal PGA TOUR event, as well, any of those guys that tee it up, any of them can win. You can look at it anyway but you have to beat some of the best players in the world, regardless, whether you want to think about it as ten, 15, 20 guys are going out and figuring out the best way to beat anyone that's playing.

Q. How much are you being counted on to recruit the field in Detroit?
RICKIE FOWLER: Not much, really.

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