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FRYS.COM OPEN

October 20, 2009

Rickie Fowler

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

DOUG MILNE: Rickie Fowler, thanks for joining us for a few minutes here at the Frys.com Open. Interesting positive year for you. Earlier on the Nationwide Tour as an amateur you lost in a playoff and then turned pro and played Boise and Soboba as a professional.
Last week marked your PGA Tour debut, and that was obviously a positive experience. Just a few comments on kind of the transition from amateur to professional on the Nationwide Tour and now as well on the PGA Tour.
RICKIE FOWLER: You know, I really don't feel any different playing as an amateur or pro. I got the opportunity through sponsor exemptions to play as an amateur in a few PGA Tour events along with Nationwide events, so I had the experience. It showed when I lost in that playoff tied for first.
So you knew I could play out there. Turned pro after Walker Cup and started with Boise and Soboba. Made the cut at Soboba and played decent, just had a tough final round there. And then with the start -- my first PGA Tour event as a pro last week, made a good birdie at the last to get a top 10.
I was already in this week through sponsor exemption, but got my top 10, which gave everyone here the chance to bring someone else in. I can't tell you -- I don't think I've seen a smile bigger on Jason's face than yesterday morning on the range when he came up to me.
DOUG MILNE: Speaking of the Nationwide Tour, how much did the time and experience on the Nationwide Tour prepare you for the PGA Tour?
RICKIE FOWLER: I actually played a PGA Tour event before I played a Nationwide event, so it was kind of a combination between the two: I think the Nationwide Tour is a little more laid back in a sense, to whereas out there I felt like it was a little more easygoing.
Feel comfortable in both places, so I would say that the Nationwide has prepared me maybe a little bit more than playing in the PGA Tour events just because I'd played in a tour event before I played in the Nationwide.
DOUG MILNE: I was asking you on the way in about the course. You mentioned you played here in an AJGA event Thunderbird. Talk about your thoughts on the course after the practice round today.
RICKIE FOWLER: You know, it's in awesome condition. Like I said, it's playing a little soft and slow. I know they did overseeding a few weeks ago. I didn't know they had to keep the water on the course, but like I said, it's in great condition. I'm sure they'll be cutting fairways down and cutting greens down and rolling them.
I don't see any reason why it won't play firm and fast come Thursday and Friday, and on into the weekend. I think it's gonna be a good week.
DOUG MILNE: Questions.

Q. I believe one of your sponsor exemptions was the FBR Open this year.
RICKIE FOWLER: Uh-huh.

Q. What was your experience like?
RICKIE FOWLER: It was awesome. One of the most fun events I played in. I opened up with a tough round were I think I shot a couple over, and then came out Friday and put up a good round. That got me on to the weekend.
Got to experience Saturday and Sunday. Saturday is pretty loud there on 16 and 17. On Sunday, I actually birdied 16, 17, and 18. It was my front nine for the day, but it was an awesome experience. I can't thank the Thunderbirds enough forgiving me that opportunity back then.

Q. Was that your first exemption?
RICKIE FOWLER: No. My first one was Verizon Heritage, which was in 2008. That was my first professional event that I had ever played in.
Then later that summer I played the Nationwide in Columbus. We got in through -- all the first team All-Americans in college get into that. And then the FBR would've been my third professional event, second PGA Tour event.

Q. When you're at the top amateur level and top college level, how do you make the decision on when you're gonna go pro?
RICKIE FOWLER: Well, being that I feel as comfortable as I do out here, and when I felt that comfortable as an amateur definitely helped my decision.
But where I want to be within the next three to five years, I felt that getting out now and getting the playing experience with these guys and playing in the tournaments with them would only help.
I felt like staying around amateur golf may have held me back, where this was gonna help me go a little forward with what I want to do.

Q. What are you goals for this week and the rest of this year, next year?
RICKIE FOWLER: This week, always tee it up at a tournament to win. So preparing, and especially coming off last week hoping for four solid rounds.
For the rest of this year, as of right now I'm going to Q-School. That's next week starting first stage. The biggest goal is just to get status and have a place to play.
Because right now, you know, I have to play the last two weeks sponsor exemptions. So, yeah, the biggest thing is getting status and having a permanent place to play.

Q. (Question regarding other players and coaches.)
RICKIE FOWLER: Well, I don't really have any coaches. Yeah, I'm kind of my own thing. Yeah, I'm not the typical junior golfer or amateur golfer coming out these days. I don't have a swing coach really, mental coach, all of those people following me around. Kind of me, my caddie, and my parents.
But, yeah, I do pick the brains of a lot of the guys I play with. I've gotten to know a lot of the guys and have known quite a few of the guys for quite some time now, especially the guys with at Oklahoma State backgrounds.

Q. So without a swing coach, do you do like a lot of videos? Just watch your own videos?
RICKIE FOWLER: No, I never use video. You know, I just work on fundamentals. Work on alignment and make sure -- of course you want to be aiming in the right direction.
Mainly fundamentals, making sure I'm hitting it solid and going from there. Hitting different shots.

Q. Are you the only guy out here that doesn't have a swing coach?
RICKIE FOWLER: Not sure. I've worked with a guy back home since I was seven. Since I left for college and I'm on the road so much now I never see him. Pretty much just kind of on my own doing my thing.
I'm not sure if there are any other guys out here that are without a coach.

Q. How has that worked?
RICKIE FOWLER: It's worked well for quite sometime now, so I don't really think about changing it. Just kind of want to keep moving forward and working on the fundamentals and working on hitting shots and keep on pitching and chipping the ball.

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