Q. Did you know it's been 10 years since you won here?
RICKIE FOWLER: I'm aware. I did the simple math. 15, 25. Carry the one.
Q. How does that feel? Do you feel old or does that feel like a long time ago?
RICKIE FOWLER: I guess in a way kinda a little bit of everything. Yeah, it's been awhile when you start counting back the years.
I guess, yeah, we are getting older, but don't feel it. So, yeah, we'll see. We're a little ways out right now, but I have a tee time tomorrow, see if we can go get ourselves in the mix.
Q. How much different do you feel now than you did back then with your game? A lot of things have changed, life, all that kind of thing.
RICKIE FOWLER: I mean, definitely different. As a player I feel better than where I was then. Still learning a bit at that point. Obviously was a great player, but I feel like I have a lot better understanding, a lot more control and I am a better player now than I was then.
I know that maybe results and the play hasn't exactly shown it, catching a little bit of lightning in a bottle there for the finish in 2015. Maybe a little bit of luck with the bounce and the way it worked on 16. But we gave ourselves a shot and we were in that position.
No, I mean, if you don't grow and learn with age, then you're going the wrong direction. Definitely very special to go back to 2015 and even 2014, finishing top 5 in all four of the majors. But yeah, I would have went the wrong direction if I didn't say that I feel like I'm in a better spot or more complete player or better player now than I was then.
Q. We can fixate on these anniversaries, 10 years and stuff, and we kind of bucket guys careers into various eras. Do you look at your career that way in terms of various eras of it?
RICKIE FOWLER: I mean, yeah, I guess if you broke it down in a way it's been, I guess, what, 16 or 10 years, it kind of just feels like a big blur. Other than certain years or wins or accomplishments that kind of stand out, it's hard to really pinpoint certain years or when it was. It's just, it doesn't feel like it's been that long. But, yeah, when you start counting back the years we've been out here for a little while.
Q. As the years have passed, when you look at, for example, you mentioned 2014, the top 5s, even though you didn't close any of them, do you have more of an appreciation for that as you've stepped away, as you've gotten further away, even though you haven't bagged one yet?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I mean, even at the time I knew what it was and realistically I only had, you know, really the chance at the PGA that year. The other ones I was kind of chasing or a little ways back and then and trying to play catch-up.
Yeah, I feel like luckily and being someone who loves golf and the history and understanding what that year and those finishes meant, it was very special, but yeah, as you go on, I think you appreciate it even more. But luckily at the time I knew what kind of an accomplishment it was.
Q. 30-mile-an-hour gusts tomorrow or in the forecast. How did that rank among toughest times that you've seen out here in this tournament?
RICKIE FOWLER: I mean, I'm looking forward to it. I love playing in the wind. I feel like it's obviously you can't fake it and definitely around this place without wind you can't fake it either. So it should be interesting.
It will be a big test on just controlling the golf ball as well as emotions, because you're not going to go play perfect golf around this place in 30-mile-an-hour wind. There's going to be a couple interesting shots or potential lies and stuff like that.
Yeah, no, I mean for one, I'm just -- it's nice to have a tee time on the weekend. That's kind of the first goal. Make sure you give yourself a chance to go play. I think you've seen how fine of a line it is out here. Obviously you guys know that. But from Highsmith making the cut on the number a couple weeks ago and going on to win, so first and foremost, tee time, and go have some fun.
Q. Last week obviously we know how disappointed you were not to be there, given your relationship with Arnie and the tournament. How difficult was that to sit out? And not that you need extra motivation for any particular week, particularly a week like this, but is there a little more of an edge to you after last week?
RICKIE FOWLER: Not necessarily. It gave me a little time to be at home and spend some time with the family and get ready for this week. At the end of the day they're sponsor exemptions; they get to do whatever they want with them. You can argue or say one way or the other, but I need to play better where I'm not asking for invites. Yeah, it was a bummer not being there, but enjoyed some time at home to get ready for THE PLAYERS.
Q. Was five years ago that this tournament started and then didn't get to round two because the world was shutting down. What do you remember about that 24-hour period where you played and then got the message that we're not going to finish?
RICKIE FOWLER: Well, it worked out all right because I kind of played like shit the first round and Hideki I think went out and shot 64 and we got paid the same.
So, yeah, I wasn't mad about it. So to wash that one out after not getting off to a great start -- J.T. and I may have had a drink together late that night when we got the text that it was washed and we were done, and we went and packed up the next morning and we didn't know what we were getting into or how long it was going to be, but it was obviously we knew we weren't playing and that was that. Obviously an odd and interesting year and then going forward from there. Hopefully that's the last time we have to deal with that.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports