Q. Just walk us through your round.
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, for the most part started off nicely started off on the first with a nice birdie and two bogeys settled things back down pretty quickly.
Yeah, did a pretty good job from there just keeping it fairly simple, a lot of fairways, a lot of greens. So yeah, nice solid start. That's really all I wanted out of a Thursday.
Q. How did the course play a little differently when you guys came back out from the break?
RICKIE FOWLER: It got quite a bit softer. Had a couple, like, minor mud balls. There's probably -- I'm sure some guys were getting some more, more than I did. Don't blame -- all the bad shots may not be on purpose.
The greens were definitely a lot more receptive. It was tough controlling spin. Luckily only had one wedge shot that it ripped back pretty good.
But yeah, it was still good. Still a premium to hit it in the short grass, stay out of the rough. Rough probably got worse being that it was wet, so luckily I didn't have to deal with that too much.
Q. As much as I hate the word "expectations" because I know you expect great things every week, are they different in your head now than they were going into Memphis?
RICKIE FOWLER: Not necessarily. I feel like things have been heading in the right direction, and I've been in a good spot for a few months now of knowing where the game is and it's continuing to get better.
Last week I definitely liked my chances with how I was playing, and I like that golf course. I've had success there before.
This is a bit different. It's a lot different test than what Memphis gave us last week, but with how the game has been, in a way kind of playing the last two weeks -- more so this week probably in a way, more so nothing to lose. Last week was maybe more important with getting inside the top 50.
Obviously there's some other implications being inside the top 30 with majors and then going into next week and everyone is starting at zero.
I know what I need to do. I need to have a solid finish and play well, but if we can keep continuing what we've been doing, it shouldn't be an issue.
Q. If you don't make it to East Lake, will you leave here disappointed?
RICKIE FOWLER: You're always disappointed.
Q. As we look at the year?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I think it's more of a perspective thing. As a golfer, unless you win, the initial is that you're always disappointed until you kind of look back and try and piece together, okay, what was good, looking back through the season, how I continued to build and how I managed the body and stuff I've been dealing with there and how to get better and ultimately trending into where we are now.
But yeah, every time you fall short, you're always disappointed as a golfer.
Q. You said earlier this week you're not paying attention to the specifics of what you might need to finish. I'm wondering if you reach a point at some point this year where you will fully check in and understand what you need.
RICKIE FOWLER: Well, I think someone mentioned it in an interview. I heard 13th thrown out. I don't know if that's right or not or how close that is. There's some other situations where it's dictated by where other guys are at and where they finish. All I can do is go win this event. A win, there's no questions on where that puts me.
Yeah, just need to keep executing, playing well, and see if we can get ourselves a tee time next week.
Q. In the lead-up there seemed to be consensus that distance would be an overwhelming priority on this golf course given how long it is, but when you look at the top guys it's all approach play that has separated so far. Does it feel like a second-shot golf course? What do you feel like it particularly emphasizes?
RICKIE FOWLER: I think it's a good combo. Yeah, distance can help on holes, but you don't necessarily have to hit driver on a lot of holes. You can get away with -- I carry a mini, basically a strong 3-wood, and it's not all drivers out there. But playing from the short grass is key.
Then from there, how the greens are -- with the amount of slope in areas and how they're sectioned off, having that control and being able to put the ball in the proper position helps.
I think it's a good blend. I think the approach play when you're seeing that separate, that's -- I feel like off the tee there's enough room. You're going to see a lot of guys drive it well to decent, and then from there that's where you can separate yourself and how well you take advantage of those opportunities when you are playing from the fairway.
Q. What worked well on that stretch you had 7 through 11? What was working well for you?
RICKIE FOWLER: A lot of fairways, made a couple putts. I think it was just more control, putting the ball in the right spot.
I'm trying to remember the holes. I've only been around the golf course a couple times now. I hit a couple good shots that were close enough, didn't have to make too long of a putt. I made a nice one on 10 from about 20 feet. Hit a good wedge into 11. Yeah, a lot of it was just pretty simple golf.
Q. Is that a playoff beard?
RICKIE FOWLER: I don't know what it is. It was growing for a bit through the British. Got home, Maya, our oldest, she usually tells me, Dada, take your hair off. She's mentioned it. I try and tickle her as much as I can with it, and she was kind of messing with it yesterday. We'll see if she lets me keep it. She kind of dictates a lot of that, but so far she hasn't forced me to take it off yet.
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