Q. Fourth in approach, second in putting, seems like some things clicked for you today. What kind of went well?
RICKIE FOWLER: Well, there's still a lot of guys to play, so hopefully those will stay up there. Yeah, mentioned it a couple times, made a good par on the 1st and that kind of got me going. Good up-and-down. I made a nice putt just to kind of save par and get the round going.
Sometimes I would, I would almost rather that than birdie the first hole because then it's kind of downhill from there. So, yeah, got off to a nice start.
Birdied the 2nd. Started to see some balls go in, and making putts kind of frees up the rest of the game to where you don't feel like you have to be perfect. Yeah, just kind of kept it fairly simple.
Q. What would you point to about why this season maybe hasn't gone the way you've hoped it to go?
RICKIE FOWLER: I mean, a big one putting was something that I could rely on last year, something I've tried to get back to where I was, as well as other parts of the game. But I feel like a lot of it can go back to not putting well. Like I was saying, putting well helps free up other things. You're not seeing putts go in and it kind of adds some extra stress to having to hit greens or hit it closer, chip it close, that circle gets quite a bit bigger once you see some go in. That's a big part. Then some of it too, like I've been close on driving and ball striking, but when you're not able to take advantage of when you do hit it well it's probably the easiest way to point out to is putting does help a lot, but that's not always the only thing.
Q. Has it been frustrating just going through some of the struggles that you've had so far?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I mean, definitely not anywhere as bad as it was a few years back, but some similarities there. Having been through that and dealt with that and ultimately coming back to playing well, I can deal with just about anything. So, yeah, it's not how we wanted to play this year or start out and continue to play poorly throughout the year, but I mean, it is what it is, we'll continue to grind, and I think a big thing is always kind of trying to put things into perspective, family stuff, you know, with some of the guys we've loss part of the family out here on the TOUR, yeah, it's not that big of a deal, but we all kind of just continue to grind.
Q. Does it make it easier to stay patient as you keep grinding away knowing that you won not that long ago and have gone through a longer stretch of maybe not getting the results you're looking for?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, and knowing I'm significantly closer this year from where I was a few years back. So, yeah, it's just more of just a lot of disappointment as far as knowing how close it is and not having a couple shots go the way I thought they would or a few putts go in and change kind of momentum and kind of how the season or round had been going. So, yeah, it's been a struggle, but definitely not as tough as a few years ago and, yeah, just have to keep --
Q. When you struggled then what did you do to turn things around and what changed it?
RICKIE FOWLER: There was a bit, but that was a few years ago, I try not to go back to those times too much. But a lot of it goes back to making more putts and then freeing up the rest of the game from there.
Q. (No Microphone.)
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, it's been awhile, but time goes by pretty quickly. We've had a lot of fun in those times. Yeah, it's hard to say would I have been happy knowing I would be in this position? I mean, as a kid growing up it was to play on the PGA TOUR and win. We've done that and more, so I would say when you get to this position you always want more, but, no, it's been a good run, but like I said, you always want more.
Q. What was the best shot you hit today?
RICKIE FOWLER: Best shot? Not sure. I hadn't gone through it a whole lot. Probably just getting the round going making a nice putt on the 1st hole.
Q. That gave you all the momentum?
RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah.
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