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ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANSApril 23, 2014Rickie FowlerAVONDALE, LOUISIANA THE MODERATOR: We welcome Rickie Fowler to the media center. Rickie, you've got three top‑six finishes this year, including the Masters a couple weeks ago. Tell us what it was like getting back in the swing of things after that experience. RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, it's been a little up and down, either top six or off on the weekend. It's been fun, though. I'm excited about the game, and there's been‑‑ early in the year I was actually swinging really well and wasn't able to get the ball up‑and‑down or make any putts. Obviously there was a lot of thought that it was swing related, but I'm actually swinging better than I ever had and for some reason couldn't get it in the hole. Match Play was a big turnaround for me and then the last two tournaments three and two weeks ago were big. Butch and I going into things in December, the main goal was to be ready for Augusta. That was what we were planning on, and it all worked out. Q.  You said you were swinging better than you ever have, and I know you made a swing change with Butch. Is it possible to put into context how big of a change it was and how comfortable you are with it? RICKIE FOWLER: Well, it's still an ongoing process, and I still think that day‑to‑day, week‑to‑week, you're always working on something to get better, maintain it. You can't really just lose focus and not have anything going on. It was a bit of a process, and I had hit balls with Butch last July after I missed the cut at the Open and kind of gave me some stuff to work on to start the process and really got going in December. So I did put a lot of work in early and still working on things now, but with the way I'm swinging right now, definitely I don't think I can really come close to making my old golf swing. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing. But it definitely feels like I have a lot more control. It's a lot more efficient. I'm able to‑‑ it's a lot more repetitive. I can go after it and make the same swing one after another, and I feel good about it right now. Q. Do you feel like you're longer with your driving distance at times now? RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, it's a combination between getting the swing a little bit more efficient and creating a little bit more speed. Thanks to Butch on that. With the delivery of the club and then the combination of the new Cobra driver that I'm hitting, the BiO Cell, the combination between the two, it's the best driver I've played, and it's the best match‑up swing‑wise and kind of everything happening at the right time. I am hitting it further. I feel like I have a little bit more gas in the tank, and it's definitely nice to have that. Q. The hat has been put on you being the favorite this week. That doesn't mean anything, but do you feel like this is a course you can play well and win on? RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I've had a couple good finishes here. I finished 10th a couple years back before going on and winning the following week at Quail Hollow. Maybe I can use this as another little jump start, coming off of two solid finishes at Houston and the Masters. I like where my game is at and really just need to stay patient and kind of stick with what I've been doing. I definitely feel like I can go around the golf course and make some birdies. I made some birdies for my pro‑am group today. A little different situation, but always nice to have something going the right way. Q. Can you tell us what you think of this city, New Orleans? RICKIE FOWLER: It's a great place. I know it's not just me, but all the guys that are here this week, they all enjoy coming and hanging out here this week. I think most‑‑ I'd say nine out of ten guys if not more, pretty much everyone stays in the city. It's a 25‑minute drive and most of the time everyone wants to keep it‑‑ they want to stay as close to the course, make it convenient, but guys enjoy staying in the city. They enjoy kind of the pace of the city, the food, being able to walk around and kind of enjoy the scenery and just the culture here in New Orleans. It's a fun week for us. I know the guys enjoy it and are looking forward to it. Q. I know this is not a new question for you, but every tournament that you're in you see little kids dressed like you. Do you see them during your round, and what's the oddest place you've seen someone dressed like you away from the golf course? RICKIE FOWLER: It's a lot of fun to see it. It kind of‑‑ when I sit back and think about it, it still kind of shocks me that I'm the reason that they're dressing like me and wearing the hats and the Puma gear and stuff. It's really cool. I never planned to have a big influence or impact on the game. My dream was to play on the PGA TOUR, and there have been a lot of extras and bonuses that have come along with it. I'm in a really cool position, and I feel like I have some great partners around me, one of them being Zurich this week that I'm involved with, and being able to do stuff with them. We had a fun time last night with some of the main people from Zurich. We had a bowling tournament and hung out at the bowling alley. It's all fun. I'm enjoying it, and it's cool having the kids out supporting me. Q. We're already past the midway point of the season. From your perspective what's the story of the year so far? RICKIE FOWLER: It doesn't feel like it's midway, it feels like we're just getting into it. Now with the wraparound, it's kind of weird to think that we are almost done with the Playoffs coming up. Big story, Jimmy Walker has played okay. I think he's kind of found his form. I don't know if it was a shock to a lot of people, but I think that he's kind of made a pretty big statement with the way he played at the end of last year and coming into the first part of this year. Q. Talking about being a favorite coming into a tournament, is that something you think about at all, and if not when was the last time you felt like a favorite heading into an event? RICKIE FOWLER: This is probably the first time I've been a favorite this year. I think I've been underdog or‑‑ it's cool. It's nice to be back up kind of near the top where people actually are talking about me and I'm not off on the weekends hanging out doing my own thing Saturday and Sunday. I've had some good finishes here, and I definitely expect myself to be in contention. But it's golf; anything can happen. You go out and go have a tough day tomorrow, and I could be home on the weekend. Not that I want to; I want to be here on Sunday having a chance to win this golf tournament. That's the plan, whether I'm a favorite or an underdog. THE MODERATOR: Rickie, thanks very much for your time. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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