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CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK CLASSICNovember 12, 2009Rickie FowlerLAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA MARK STEVENS: Okay. I'd like to welcome Rickie Fowler to the media center. He shot a 6-under, birdied his last two holes today on the Palm Course. If you could talk a little bit about your round today, and maybe the weather conditions teeing off early and then we'll take some questions. RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah. You know, it was fairly cold this morning, more so when we got out on the course, got a little bit windier, kind of misting with the rain coming in sideways, so made it tough for the first few holes to kind of get in the rhythm, get the body moving and just trying to keep myself -- keep the ball out in front of me, and hit it in there close on a few holes, made two birdies, made a bogey at 9 and then went to the back. And like you said, I birdied my last two, made three in a row coming into that, so birdied five of my last six to close out the round. MARK STEVENS: Okay. Thank you. Questions. Q. Rickie, would you characterize the way you're playing now as a streak, a good surge, the highest level you've played at or are you just putting together solid rounds of golf day after day? How would you account for your start on the TOUR? RICKIE FOWLER: It's nothing special. I'm not doing anything different really, just kind of playing golf. I'm just making less mistakes, and like I was talking about yesterday, committing to more shots, fully committing. So it's nothing better than I've ever played before, and I'd say it's, you know, just going out and playing steady rounds of golf. Q. Would you say it started at the Walker Cup? I mean you had just a great run there. Did that sort of get your confidence and your game going do you think? RICKIE FOWLER: There and also at -- during Stroke Play at the Pub Links back in July. I played pretty well in Stroke Play besides I made a quad on my 35th hole. Other than that, I played good. And then on from there to Columbus Nationwide event where I lost in the playoff. So kind of those two events, and then of course, Walker Cup and then on from there. Q. It's going to seem like an idiotic question, but what's been the hardest part of the transition? It would seem to be pretty effortless and seamless for you so far in terms of flicking the switch, turning pro and being out here with the so-called big boys? RICKIE FOWLER: You know, it has been a nice and fairly easy transition. I played quite a few events as an amateur with Nationwide PGA TOUR events and with the two U.S. Opens. And then with amateur golf and college golf now we travel so much that, you know, it's nothing new. It's a little bit different that we're here week to week. I mean maybe the biggest difference is we're playing for money, but you know, I'm still out here playing to win, so my mentality hasn't changed with that. Q. Rickie, the idea of not having to go to Q-School, how much is that in the back of your mind motivating you this week? RICKIE FOWLER: I definitely think about it off the course. When I'm out there playing, I'm just trying to get the ball in the hole as fast as I can and get things going. And it was a nice start today. And you know, it's definitely a good jump start to the week, but there's a lot of golf left. So you know, I'll be thinking about it off the course. It'll be nice to not have to go to Third Stage if I don't have to, but I'm fully prepared to go if I do. Q. I was going to ask you about that chip-in, but maybe just take those last five birdies, run through those quick with the club you hit in and how long of a putt the chip was. RICKIE FOWLER: I'm trying to remember what number holes they were. Was it 13? Yeah. 13's a short par-4. I hit a wedge in there to about three feet, so didn't need much work. The par-5, I kind of hit it squirrely layup and squirrely wedge to about 20 feet, made a good putt. The next hole, what was that, 15, I hit a 9-iron, hit a good drive, so I was in the middle of the fairway, hit a 9-iron to about 12 feet, another good putt. Like I said, on 16 I missed one on the high side. I hit a 4-iron on the par-3 about 25 feet and hit a great putt and just missed. And 17, made about a 15-footer, and 18 was the chip-in. Q. Was that about 40 feet or so? RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah. Pin was back left. I was just off the front edge a little bit. So yeah, probably around 40, 45 feet. Q. And you were kind of trying to make that, weren't you? RICKIE FOWLER: I just aimed at the pin and hit it, perfect speed. Ended up being the right line. So it worked out. Q. Can you just talk about your chipping? I mean because it's obviously one of the strengths of your game, and you chip in, as I said, more than the average guy. How did you get -- I mean was that always an emphasis for you growing up or have you always been a good chipper or how did you get good? RICKIE FOWLER: You know, I worked on a lot of short game, putting and chipping with my coach, Barry McDonald back home at the driving range I grew up at. You know, when I started working with him when I was seven years old through then, through middle school, that's really where I worked on my game a lot and got the technique down, I mean at least the way I chip and, you know, my stroke. Other than that, I mean I've just maintained the technique and learned how to hit different shots, but that was really what I worked on the most, and it's definitely helped out now. Q. Rickie, it's pretty exciting when I was out there observing what you were doing, seems like a huge initial splash. What's your frame of mind? Are you excited about it or are you excited about how you're playing? You seem completely laid back in here. What's your frame of mind as you're walking around the course turning in these rounds of 60 in one after another and do you reserve your excitement until after the round? Are you able to do that? If you have any at all. RICKIE FOWLER: No. I'm having a great time out there. You know, I'm not getting overly excited. I don't let my emotions to get the most of me, at least try not to. And you know, playing with Jamie, you know, playing alongside a friend definitely helps. We're walking up to the fairways joking around and having a good time and throw in, hit a golf shot every once in a while and talk some more. Q. Rickie, is there any part of you that's kind of proud that you're not a silver spoon guy, that you sort of dug it out of the dirt? You've got a unique swing. You were schooled by an older driving range guy that not many people outside of your town have ever heard from, and kind of done it your own way? RICKIE FOWLER: I know my coach at school, he definitely likes the upbringing that I had. I think there's quite a few other people out there that like it. Some people think it's, you know, odd that I came out that way. You know, there's not many guys that are coming through that route anymore. I definitely like that background, you know, the way I came up. I know my swing better than most people, I think know their own nowadays. Just a lot of guys I think get so reliant on coaches. So I like the way I came out, and I definitely think there's some people that think it's -- it's definitely unique, but they like it. Q. It would have seemed when the Viking Classic got canceled, that was a blow to you. I mean you were on that nice roll and you had another opportunity. How has that worked out? I mean obviously it doesn't look like it hurt your game any to have to take the last two weeks off, but looking back now, how has that all transpired and how has it worked out for you? RICKIE FOWLER: I think it's worked out fine. You know, my Top 10 was able to carry into here. I know I was working on trying to get a sponsor exemption if it didn't work out. And you know, it was nice to have some time off after two exciting weeks. You know, I was probably getting to the point where I was going to be mentally drained after those two weeks. And like I said earlier, I was sick last week, so it was definitely nice to get some rest and get rested up for this week. Q. In relation to your swing, sort of looks like an Arnold Palmer to me, just a "shhh" just a great slash, in plane. Is that more or less what you do, you just swsshh? RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah. I mean I just step up and go. No, I've kind of always just stepped up and hit it back when I was young and I used to have a big loop in my swing. You know, people used to say, oh, you swing like Jim Furyk. And you know, I've never tried to work on getting the loop out of my swing or trying to not lay it off. Over time I've just gotten stronger, and my swing's developed, and right now it's kind of where it's gone to. You know, you ask some of the guys that have seen me play two years ago, someone like Colt Knost, he saw me swing in Mississippi. He was like, did you change your swing? Just because he hadn't seen me play much in the last year, just from growing and getting stronger, you know, it's getting closer to where it's almost on plane, but it's not something I'm trying to work on. I've just always stepped up and hit it. Q. You have one of the greatest swings I've ever seen. RICKIE FOWLER: Thank you. Q. Couple weeks on TOUR now. Have you gone to any other players for advice, whether what it's like on TOUR, certain courses, certain places to go, anything along those lines? RICKIE FOWLER: A little bit. The guys from Oklahoma State, all the cowboys out here, they've definitely helped me. Q. Bob? RICKIE FOWLER: Bob, Scott, Chuck, Bo, Hunter. There's a good amount of guys, and they've all been very helpful. I think one of the first guys that really helped me was Tom Pernice. I played quite a bit with him back home in California. We're both from the same town. So I played quite a bit with him. He was one of the main ones that started helping me. Out here, yeah, I mean along with Tom and the Okie State guys, all the guys that I've played practice rounds with or been in the pairings with, they've all been helpful. All the guys out here are awesome, and you know, they'll do whatever they can to help me. Q. Anything stick out? One piece of advice or anything? RICKIE FOWLER: Just keep doing what you're doing, swing related and game related. Just keep moving forward and don't let anyone mess with the swing or how I play golf. Q. Rickie, growing up at the driving range, the motocross kid, the long hair, did you ever feel like when you started competing as a junior that you didn't fit in or that you weren't cut from the same cloth as other players? RICKIE FOWLER: Yes and no. I definitely like to -- you know, I liked wearing white pants, white belt. You know, not many guys did that, or looked the same as I did on the course, and some guys didn't play the same. I mean as a kid that's all I knew. For the most part when you're out on the course, hit it hard as you can down the fairway, aim at the pin and swing at it again. So I've kind of kept that same thing going for a little bit longer than most. Q. Rickie, I was wondering how you found the course today and these courses in general, how they suit your game. RICKIE FOWLER: Today was tough just because of the weather. I mean the Palm Course, like they say, usually plays a little bit easier. I'm sure it still played easier for the stroke average, but the weather definitely made it tough, and I think the courses were in pretty good shape. They got a little softer from the rain yesterday, but other than that, they were -- I thought they were great and looking forward to playing Magnolia tomorrow. Q. (No microphone). RICKIE FOWLER: I'd say we take the conservative route on the bikes, but hop on and have some fun every once in a while, but I haven't been on since summer, since I've been on the road. Q. (No microphone). RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah. I moved to Vegas the week before Timberlake. Q. (No microphone). RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah. I don't have any bikes there, but I'll spend some time in Southern Cal and hop on every once in a while. Q. Have you ever gotten hurt doing that? RICKIE FOWLER: Uh-huh. The last time I -- well, I sold my bike and kind of quit riding consistently on a regular basis when I was 15. I broke my foot in three spots and blew out my knee. Q. Which foot, which knee? RICKIE FOWLER: Right foot, left knee. Q. Was that the worst (indiscernible)? RICKIE FOWLER: No. That was probably the worst one. Other than that, the worst one was when I was three, the bike tipped over. I was just sitting on a bigger bike when I was three, and the bike tipped over and broke my leg, but other than that, not too bad. Q. (No microphone). RICKIE FOWLER: We were out messing around in the desert, some friends and I were, we had a little track that we made up, and a guy took his kid out on a ride on the front of his bike, and they were coming back over a jump we had. We were just on little 50s messing around, and third gear wide open on a 50 isn't as fast as you'd -- a normal bike or anything, but I mean you're moving good. You're flying through the air. And I came up over the jump and had it laid over, and he was coming up the other way and landing with his kid on the front side so I had to ditch the bike, and I'm not sure where I ended up in there, but ended up on the ground somewhere else. Q. (No microphone). RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah. Well, because if I stayed on the bike, it would have hit him and his kid on the front of the bike, so I had to ditch the bike. Q. Soboba, I was out there. How important was it for you to play well like you did in front of your hometown there? RICKIE FOWLER: That was big. You know, a lot of people think it's easy to play in front of a home crowd, but I think it's harder. So that definitely gave me a lot of confidence going into Vegas and Frys, you know, putting up a few good rounds. And I struggled on Sunday, but it was nice to definitely play well at home. Q. And that next week you moved to Vegas. It was the Presidents Cup. What was the trigger for your success at Timberlake? RICKIE FOWLER: I'm not sure. I just -- you know, I was working on just kind of playing that stress-free golf like I have been the last few months, keeping the ball out in front of me, staying away from making big mistakes, and you know, in a way firing away from some pins, staying away from short siding myself and keeping the round moving in a forward momentum. And then that's -- I kind of started doing that last spring through college and then through the summer, and it's definitely started working out really well. MARK STEVENS: Okay. Thanks a lot, Rickie. Good luck the rest of the week. End of FastScripts |
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