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November 13, 2020
Augusta, Georgia
RICKIE FOWLER: I kind of‑‑ I made a mistake on my part. I wish I would have called a rules official over on the tee on 12.
Q. Before you teed off?
RICKIE FOWLER: Before I even teed off, yeah. I wasn't sure how close we were to getting called off for darkness, and like I said, it was a mistake on my part. I should have called and at least talked about it.
I knew it was still light enough out, but my eyesight, I don't see very well far away, and then with that, once it starts to get a little bit towards dusk, I struggle with depth perception. So it didn't help in the situation there on 12 when you're‑‑ I know it's just a 9 iron, but it still can be a little tight there.
It is what it is, but, yeah, once we got up there, kind of played it as it was. Once I was on the back fringe, it was already pretty dark at that point. One of the rules officials behind 12 said they were going to call it in two minutes. So I just figured to wait it out.
Q. Talk about bouncing back this morning, two really good birdies coming in.
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I was happy with everything yesterday, got off to a solid start. I felt like I was controlling the ball well, putting the ball well. So just had to keep moving forward. Mistakes are going to happen out here, especially with mud balls. Everyone's getting a handful and having to deal with them. It's just the way it is.
It's still fun. It's definitely a challenge, and there's some shots out there, when you do get mud on the ball, just kind of close your eyes and pray.
Q. Do you think it helped or hurt, the fact that you got up early and just continued to roll through your day?
RICKIE FOWLER: Ultimately, I would have liked to have a little more sleep. I'll probably go hit a few balls, but outside of that, I'm looking forward to putting my feet up and getting rested and ready for this weekend. This golf course is a solid walk in its own, but to go out today, and we had‑‑ what would that be‑‑ 24 holes, and the soft conditions don't make it any easier.
It's a good walk. I don't wish I was a caddie at this point.
Q. Are you kind of happy that the other side of the field will also have to play more than one round?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, there's different ways to look at it. With the greens being soft, they get beat up throughout the day. We definitely saw that the last few holes yesterday. So these guys will start to see the greens get a little beat up as you go on.
You don't really want those four to six‑footers, and this is a place where you get a lot of them. The closer you can get those lag putts to the hole, those tap‑ins are nice.
It will be nice to sit back, relax, watch these guys play. Yeah, they're definitely not finishing today. Looks like all of us are kind of getting that quick turnaround, early wake‑up.
Q. How much more penal is the rough this year?
RICKIE FOWLER: It's definitely a little taller, a little thicker. You have the combo of the rye and the bermuda. The ball is tending to sit down a little bit. I feel like sometimes it's almost been better to be in some of the first cut when you do end up there. Actually, I mentioned it to Danny yesterday when we were on 11, our second to last hole. He had just missed the fairway right in the first cut and chipped probably a 6 or 7 down there in the middle of the green.
I was in the middle of the fairway with a mud ball and had to aim over at 12 tee, and I still almost hit it in the water. So I feel like it's almost‑‑ it's harder to pick up mud balls in that first cut. So in some situations, you'd almost rather that, or you wouldn't mind it.
Q. And as far as imparting spin with the second cut being a little wet, how challenging can that be?
RICKIE FOWLER: With the greens being as soft as they are, it's not a big issue. Some situations, back pins or pins that aren't tucked too much over a cover, it's really not that big of a disadvantage just because you're not worrying about the ball spinning back. You can kind of just play a little bit of a short number and know, if anything, it's going to go forward and not come back at you.
Q. Helps a little bit that you did the quick turnaround Thursday into Friday and not into Saturday?
RICKIE FOWLER: If you asked a lot of players, I feel like a lot of guys, their preference is late/early, just with the fact that you can kind of either carry momentum or just pick up where you left off, play the two rounds, and then you get a little break between what Thursday, Friday is and then the weekend. Where if you play early Thursday, it's like that's almost a stand‑alone round, and like the Friday afternoon, everything bleeds into the weekend.
It will be nice to rest up and get ready for the last two days.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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