PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 16, 2022

Rickie Fowler

Southern Hills Country Club

Flash Quotes

JULIUS MASON: Rickie Fowler is joining us at the 104th PGA Championship. Rickie, you are playing in your 13th PGA Championship but your first major in the State of Oklahoma. Knowing that you're sort of the unofficial spokesperson for the state, how exciting is it that there is a major championship here?

RICKIE FOWLER: It's definitely great to be back in Oklahoma, and I think -- I believe the 2007 PGA was the last major here in Oklahoma, but that was my freshman year.

I remember how hot that week was. I was over practicing in Stillwater, and to be back here at Southern Hills, to come full circle after being at Oklahoma State, this is a special place. We used to come over and play every once in a while, and the membership has always been great to us here. I played the 2009 U.S. Am, but first time back since then.

So excited about the week and yeah, anytime I get to be in Oklahoma, I feel at home.

JULIUS MASON: Can you put a number on the times you've played Southern Hills, the times you've visited?

RICKIE FOWLER: It's probably not as much as people think. We probably came over a handful of times while I was in school. We're about an hour and 15 minutes away. We've got a great place at Karsten Creek in between.

Sometimes we'd go over to Oak Tree or come over to Southern Hills at times, but between that and playing the U.S. Am, I don't know, maybe 15 times or so, but that was quite a while ago. It's been a few years, and I honestly don't remember as far as the details go, even after playing the U.S. Am here, the routing (audio interruption) -- and what has changed.

Q. Coming out of Oklahoma State, obviously you had a meteoric rise. Now that you're a seasoned veteran, when you see guys like Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff on a similar trajectory, how does it make you feel as a veteran but also as somebody that you set that similar path that they are now on coming out of Oklahoma State?

RICKIE FOWLER: It's been great to be a part of the program there and the long history. I'm another one of the guys that went there and had success. It's just one big family. So to see guys after me continue to show that, you know, Oklahoma State is a great building block or steppingstone to go to the PGA Tour, and it's been a lot of fun for me to get to know those guys when they are at school, and then when they turn pro, get to spend a little more time with them out on the road. They are both impressive players and we are seeing a lot of impressive players throughout college golf, and there's more to come.

Q. We talked with Talor and he mentioned that he caddied for you once. What's it like seeing him getting his opportunity on the Tour and getting to play in a major in his home state?

RICKIE FOWLER: I can kind of understand a little bit of the feeling but not completely. This is truly home to him, being that he grew up in Oklahoma and ended up at Oklahoma State.

It's been fun to know him over the years. I know him quite well. He caddied for me when he was back in high school. That was back at the Pub Links when they had it down at Jimmie Austin. He's a damn good player and I think he's finally started to come into his own. It's been fun to watch his success.

Q. Curious as you've been trying to find things the last year and a half or two, do you go back to 2014, for example, when there have been times where you've had good runs and success, to try to pick out stuff that was working back then, or are you just trying to totally do different stuff with the swing?

RICKIE FOWLER: There's been a lot of trying to get where the body or the club was working properly or well in certain areas, even back to -- even though my swing was kind of unorthodox, but through college golf and my first few years on Tour my body was working a lot better than I would say it was three or four years ago.

So piecing together a few different things from different times, getting everything kind of working together and it's been a long road. But I feel like there's a lot of good things here coming shortly.

Q. Can you describe what it has been like, because you came out obviously smoking hot right away and now you're in this lull, which probably gets everybody at some point. But what has it been like for you? What's the mental grind been like for you?

RICKIE FOWLER: I would say, yeah, a lot of it has been mental and physical at times, too, because you're working on things and trying to do things and maybe not accomplishing them. Also having to deal with the trust factor; something might not feel great but you're having to continue to grind through it mentally.

Going through it, it's never fun. I've actually enjoyed it as much as it sucked. I've definitely found myself, not that I ever fell out of love with the game or anything like that, but I've embraced the grind and the aspect of just taking every day and going out and enjoying it, even though we have been in tough spots.

There's been a few weeks here or there that have shown there's something there and we are heading the right way, but not everything has fully clicked. It's been a lot longer road than we've wanted it to be, but we go through changes or work on things to ultimately be better. I'm not trying to be the same as I was or anything like that. I'm trying to be best that I can be.

Q. What is the level of belief that you will not only be as good as you were at your height, but better, right now?

RICKIE FOWLER: I know it's there. It's more just the confidence building right now. I feel like over the last couple years, it's been really tough to build momentum, and momentum is really what builds confidence and you can kind of start riding that wave.

Yeah, there's been no swell. I haven't been able to ride anything. So finally started to see some things, and I'm excited about it.

The finish that I had at Wells Fargo a couple weeks ago wasn't great, but I finally started to see a few things that were starting to go the right direction where I was digging myself deeper holes in the past, and you can't do that out here. You can't move backwards.

Q. A little different kind of question. You are fantastic with the media and it certainly is great for all of us, too. But I've got to ask if it gets frustrating, is it hard to come into these places day after day, tournament after tournament, knowing you're still going to have to confront some of the same old questions?

RICKIE FOWLER: Not for me. I'm sure there's some guys that may not like it or may try and dodge at times. But no, it's no different than you guys asking me if I'm dealing with the same stuff in my head and going through, you know, am I doing things right, is this how it should be done, or my thought process on course, trying to go through all those boxes and making sure that everything we're doing is for the right reasons and moving the right way.

Yeah, there's probably not any questions that would be asked in here that I haven't thought of or gone over on my own. Might surprise me every once in a while but no, I'm never afraid to hear from you guys or talk to you guys.

Q. How do you deal with when you want to get away from golf? What do you do to occupy your mind for a day, an hour, whatever it is that you need?

RICKIE FOWLER: Honestly I have to force myself to get away. I love to just play and play for fun, and sometimes it's just going and messing around with some buddies and not really caring too much what's going on or what you're shooting, something like that.

But for me just being at home with my wife and little one and hanging out. Love getting in the gym at home and kind of grinding it out that way. But yeah, for the most part, it's hard to stay away for very long because I want to go and just play and get games with the guys. That's what I enjoy doing.

Q. As a guy who has been tight with Phil for a long time, and somebody who has taken you under his wing, what's it like for and you what's your reaction to him not being here defending after what he did last year?

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, it's unfortunate. I know it's been a rough go the last few months, a tough situation to be in, and I haven't talked to him a whole lot, and over the last couple years, I haven't spent as much time with him. A lot of times, we were both with Butch and we would all be together playing and practicing. Now that Butch isn't traveling, obviously we are not around and together as much.

But yeah, Phil has always been great to me. I've learned a lot from him. Yeah, it's unfortunate that he didn't feel like it's the place that he should be right now is here.

Q. How simple is your approach when you get out there to tee it up for real on Thursday? Do you have one thing on your mind or how simple can it be?

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, over the last few weeks or couple months, we've been able to simplify a lot and that's made things a lot easier, a lot clearer for me. Been working on the mental side of things as well and just trying to clear that up as much as possible. So I'm focused and know exactly what I'm trying to do or execute out there. You know, picking small targets and making sure I have a clear picture of exactly what I want to do before I'm walking in.

As far as swings thoughts, really just been working on making sure I get a good enough turn on the way back, kind of swing thought is making sure I feel like I get my back to the target as quick as possible. Sometimes my arms go a little quick and out run my upper body and that's where I get deep and laid off.

Yeah, I hope that sounds pretty simple. To me, that's the only thought other than making sure I know exactly what shot I want to hit and picking a spot where I'm aiming.

Q. You played pretty well last year in the PGA Championship. What did that give you going forward, your best finish in a while?

RICKIE FOWLER: It was great, I love Kiawah and getting to play there in the wind, it brought out a little bit of linksy style. Not that the ball necessarily runs there but kind of shots that you can hit and use your imagination. And that was something for me, kind of got away from playing golf swing and went out and played golf and hit shots. You're never going to be perfect in the wind. It's kind of just managing your way around and that was something that I did a great job there.

There's obviously a few swings or holes I wish I could have gone back on but all in all it was a fun week there.

Q. Who are you working with on the mental side and when did you start doing that?

RICKIE FOWLER: I don't know if I should throw names out there or not. I won't mention names yet. No, I mean, I'm not that messed up (laughter).

It was for me just to, I guess, just get instead of it being myself or talking to people on my team or friends, kind of to have a point person and to be able to talk through some things and ultimately simplify the process and a lot of it just making sure or accepting negative thoughts, like everyone has, and it's going to happen.

It's more just accepting, you can have them and then, okay, I understand all that, like I'm going to go do this. And so that's been kind of the main focus. But it's, yeah, hasn't been very long but excited about how it's been. And haven't done a whole lot of work. Just initially started.

Q. Was this your idea or did somebody suggest it?

RICKIE FOWLER: The idea's been thrown around. I've thought of it. People on my team have thought of it as well. But at the end of the day, it ultimately had to be my decision. So finally came to the point where I had gone through kind of all my stuff and worked on some things.

But I felt like it was the right time to look for not answers necessarily but go that direction and felt like I could benefit from someone being involved in that territory.

Q. Have you been approached at all by the LIV Tour and if so, what's your stance on that?

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I have. To be straightforward with you guys, I haven't necessarily made a decision one way or the other. I've mentioned in the past, do I currently think that the PGA Tour is the best place to play? I do. Do I think it can be better? Yes.

So I think it's an interesting position. Obviously there's the LIV and Premiere, as well. These tours or leagues or whatever -- however you want to classify or call them, they wouldn't really be coming up if they didn't see that there was more opportunity out there. I've always looked at competition being a good thing. It's the driving force of our game. You know, being able to have games with guys at home, that's how I always grew up is competing. I think competition ultimately makes people better, whether it's business, sport.

So it's interesting, that's for sure.

Q. Golf has always been a selfish game by nature but you've always been really good about celebrating with other people when they are successful. What do you get out of that and what does it mean to you to sort of be there for people to say, I'm so proud of you, I'm so happy for you?

RICKIE FOWLER: I mean, out here, it's an individual sport. I mean, we all have our teams and so it's not fully individual. But as far as you're the only one hitting the ball and making putts.

But when it's all said and done, there have been plenty of times where I've finished and signed my card and that's all I can do and a friend wins and it's cool to see and celebrate that together.

At the same time, it's been awesome to have friends be there for me. That's kind of going back to the competing with your friend and buddies. So me, there's no better feeling than when you know you've beaten your buddies and you kind of have the bragging rights and you accept that when your buddies beat you. You're like, you got me this week and let's go battle it out next week.

JULIUS MASON: In a few minutes we are going to hear from the PGA of America's CEO Seth Waugh and Major Dan Rooney to get an update on Patriot Golf Days. Have you ever in your life met anyone like Dan and how impressed are you with what he's doing to serve veterans and their families?

RICKIE FOWLER: It's just pure amazingness. I love Dan. Haven't been able to help out as much as with the patriot golf days as of the last few years but was a part of a handful when he first started them. To get to know Dan and to learn about his vision and see everything that he's been able to accomplish with that over the years, has been pretty incredible.

Q. What do you think will happen if a TOUR members goes and plays London without a release? Secondly, what's the one thing the TOUR, do you think, needs to be doing better?

RICKIE FOWLER: If someone goes and plays, I don't know, I'm like trying to learn as much as I can. I have no commitment one way or another. Obviously the statement came out last week that they weren't granting any releases. I think a lot of people thought that the first one being out of the country may not be an issue. Obviously it would be more so once it came into the U.S.

I'm sure there will be some sort of consequences but I really don't know at this time. It's almost kind of have to wait and see, and see what happens. I mean, I would say there's a handful of things, like I said, the TOUR'S currently best place to play in the world, hands-down.

One of things to me, or I would say, are we independent contractors are not. Do we -- to me, like with competition, if there were other leagues or tours or whatever may be, the TOUR continuing to be the best place to play, guys will come and play and be at the TOUR but there's options to go play another event if you want to.

I feel like there needs to be some clarity between if you're an independent contractor or are you basically an employee.

Q. Do you think, I guess what I'm getting at is do you think a player has a right to know what the consequences would be?

RICKIE FOWLER: I think guys would probably like to know. Because if you're trying to make a decision one way or the other, I know there's some guys that are probably in a position where the consequence may not matter. They may just be ready to go play and not look back type of thing and see how things come full circle.

Like I said, it's an interesting time. I've always thought that competition is a good thing, and these leagues or tours wouldn't be coming up or popping up if they didn't see kind of those opportunities out there.

JULIUS MASON: Thanks, Rickie, appreciate it. Have a good week this week.