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April 10, 2014
Q. How is the course playing today?
RICKIE FOWLER: It's good. It's tough at times, the wind's kind of switching back and forth a bit, but it's kind of swirling, kind of going back and forth.
The course is good. Got to play good golf.
Q. Freddie is saying it's getting really hard the last couple. Do you find that?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, it's starting to dry out a little bit, especially the greens. The fairways are still a little bit soft, but I'm sure the rest of the course is going to dry out as the week goes on. But, yeah the greens are starting to get a little crispy. Still receptive if you hit a good shot from the fairway. But for it to be like this on Thursday, it's going to keep drying up, it's going to be tough this weekend.
Q. Is the challenge tough to make it fun because of the challenge or do you still enjoy it?
RICKIE FOWLER: It's always fun. It's Augusta. There's a lot of variety out here and it's a lot of fun to play this course. Even when you're not hitting it well, you can get in some positions where you get to hit some fun golf shots and be creative. It's definitely a challenge out there right now.
Q. Three pars around Amen Corner, do you feel like you picked up two on the field there?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I hit some good shots there. Obviously, 13 you would like to have a ‑‑ I had a good look at birdie and hit a good putt. But I feel like you can pick up a solid half shot for sure and maybe one, depending upon what the field averages. But you make some pars around there and get some birdies on 13, you play Amen Corner under par for the week, that's definitely an advantage.
Q. What do you need to do to move up from where you've been here to that top echelon?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I've had some decent finishes here and I've had some good rounds. I think it was a great start. I didn't really have my best, I didn't drive the ball well and I was able to get it around and salvage a decent round of golf. So I really feel like all I can do is go up from here.
I'm confident coming off of last week, feel like I'm swinging well. I just really wasn't able to get into a great rhythm off the tee. I hit two really good tee balls coming in on 17 and 18, which was key. So I'm excited to go get a few swings in, get some lunch, and get ready for tomorrow.
Q. You had one really good practice round. How much does that give you confidence going into just this week?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, coming off a good event last week in Houston, I knew I was swinging well, and I was able to take things and improve every day.
We came in and we had a fun match on Tuesday with Phil and Dustin and Dufner. And it's always fun to win the Tuesday match.
Q. You played great. You played really well.
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I played well. So it was nice to, it's always nice to throw Phil on my back and take him around for 18.
(Laughter.) He helped me a little though. We had fun and it was nice to make good swings early in the week and it makes you feel at ease and a lot less stressful going into the week, knowing that I'm swinging well. Today I didn't have my best, I was able to get it around for a good round though.
Q. Consider how you felt on the first tee today to how you felt the first time you ever played the Masters.
RICKIE FOWLER: It's probably one of the worst tee shots I hit off the first tee, but probably the best I felt on the tee. So it's kind of the story of the day.
I didn't drive the ball well, but I felt really comfortable out there. I'm feeling really comfortable on the golf course and I'm going to go get some swings in on the range and get ready for tomorrow.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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