THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY WORKDAY

June 2, 2023

Rickie Fowler

Muirfield Village

Quick Quotes

Q. How would you characterize the round today?

RICKIE FOWLER: It's tough out there. Did a lot of good stuff. I feel like I kind of kept it just moving forward. You can move back very quickly out there. So made a good up-and-down for actually bogey on my 2nd, and kind of kept going from there, just tried to piece my way around as best as possible.

Started getting fairly similar to last week as far as if you're not playing from the fairway, you're really not hitting the green, unless there's some way you can run it.

But, yeah, I feel like just managed our way around well and had some good solid up-and-downs to keep things moving.

Q. What was maybe the best part of your game today in these conditions?

RICKIE FOWLER: Probably patience and just accepting kind of what I had. I wasn't swinging great, by any means, but tried not to necessarily fight it and just move forward. It's a bit dicey. It's a fine line. You see some high scores, some low scores. You drive it well, you can score, but if you get out of position, you can have a very long day out there.

Q. Is that maybe the biggest difference for you this year from last year is when you're not swinging it well, you're able to score?

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, just much more being able to go out and play golf and get it around. Short game's better than where it was. Putting's better than where it was. Obviously everything is better than where it was. But when I have days that I'm maybe a little off with driving the ball or irons, usually have something that helps me make up for that, wherein years past I feel like putting was something I was always able to lean on, or short game, and that wasn't something that was able to save me for a few years.

Q. From an emotional standpoint or confidence standpoint how much does that help you knowing that you don't have the issues maybe you had a year ago or two years ago?

RICKIE FOWLER: Oh, it's huge. That's what's probably been the biggest thing last fall, and then especially this calendar year, is weeks where my -- very rarely are we ever lights out and playing at a hundred percent. You're always -- something is maybe a little bit off. But having some -- maybe if a couple areas aren't the best and just being able to get around and turn those into made cuts and top 20s or top 10s.

Last week I was right around the cut line and had a solid weekend and all of a sudden I turned that into a top 10 where I'm -- at one point I was I think maybe just one inside the cut line.

So, yeah, you get a lot more confidence out of those weeks when you know you're bringing below-average game and hanging around and then able to take advantage of when you get opportunities.

Q. Harris English said last week there was a point where he didn't even know where to aim anymore. Did you feel that way there and could you see that coming in about here, the way the conditions are starting to get harder and harder?

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I mean, you have to be playing from the fairway. There's a lot of times, like last week and there will be plenty of times this weekend, where you're not even worried or thinking about where the pin's at. You're going to get some opportunities where you're going to be able to get it close or take advantage of the par-5s, but there's going to be plenty of holes where you're just trying to hit it on the green, 2-putt, and get away.

Q. How patient were you as you were working from where you weren't playing so well to where you are now and getting better?

RICKIE FOWLER: I would say they were definitely tough times. It's never easy. But I had to look at it as a challenge and knew that it was something that was going to be worth it when we get through this and get on the good side. Everyone goes through tough times and struggles, it's just part of it. Maybe sometimes it's not two or three years. But, yeah, it's much more kind of looking for some light at the end of the tunnel and always trying to be optimistic and at least knowing that there are a lot of good things.

Unfortunately, I feel like I was very close a lot of times and just not getting anything out of it. So, yeah, it's something that wears on you mentally. So having some good people around you, whether it's peers, other players, good friends, family, coaches, and everyone we're all on the same team at the end of the day. Just trying to move forward anger.

Q. Who is your biggest support voice? Wife doesn't count.

RICKIE FOWLER: I was going to say, outside of wife and family, I mean everyone that's on the team, from the time working with Tillery to Joe when he was on my bag to my agents. But J.T. and Jordan were always there. Dufner as well. Yeah, it's awesome when you have guys that do the same thing day-in and day-out, because they're the ones that truly understand how it is.

Q. What did Dufner do for you?

RICKIE FOWLER: I mean, he was just always there.

Q. Did you get into the technical side of anything with Duf?

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, Duf is probably one of the most knowledgeable in, I would say swing and the really the golf swing and how everything works. So we play a lot of practice rounds together. Stay together quite a bit. Yeah, he was someone that was great to have in my corner and either bounce ideas off or just get some words of wisdom.

Q. Is there a point where optimism has turned into expectations for you?

RICKIE FOWLER: I think as a player the expectations are always there. I would say as far as expectations and the pressure we put on ourselves is much more than anything outside. I think that's partly how it should be. If you don't have that belief and expectation of yourself you're probably not in a good spot.

Q. So when you were at the lowest point did you still expect, when you rolled into an event each week, did you still expect to do something positive?

RICKIE FOWLER: No, there were plenty of times where it was more go in and kind of hope for the best or see what we had. Very different situation than where I am now. Where I know what I'm capable of. I would say even in the last few years I knew what I was capable of, but it was, am I going to be able to produce that or execute. So there were some definitely some tough times that was where I said the mental side of it. But, yeah, it's hard, because you see, I would say, the results at home or what you're working on and just trying to carry that over to tournament golf. Yeah, there's a very big difference from playing well anywhere else versus showing up and when it really matters and playing well.

Q. Putting a pencil in your hand, you mean?

RICKIE FOWLER: When there's no eraser and you got to put down a score, yeah. Unless you've done it, it's a different animal out here.