Fowler Finds Redemption

Rickie Fowler's back-nine surge on Sunday at the Players was one for the ages. The 26-year-old Californian made the turn on the Stadium Course in even par and bogeyed the 10th to go 1-over on the day. But from the 13th hole on Fowler was magical.

He birdied the 13th, 15th, 17th and 18th holes, and oh yeah, eagled the par-5 16th to go 6-under par in six holes, finishing with a 5-under 67 and a four-round total of 12-under 276, good enough to get into a three-hole aggregate-score playoff with Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner.

Kisner and Fowler went 1-under in the extra holes - each birdied the par-3 17th and its island green - but Garcia couldn't keep up and was eliminated. The two survivors then played the 17th for the sixth time in a week - this time as the first sudden-death playoff hole - and the third time Sunday. With the pin tucked at the front, Fowler hit a bold tee shot, just over the water to 4 feet of the cup. Kisner's shot ended up 12 feet to the right.

When Kisner missed his birdie try, Fowler calmly rolled in his for his fifth birdie on the 17th. It gave the former Oklahoma State All-American and U.S. Walker Cupper the second title of his career, a whopping $1.8 million and 600 FedEx Cup points, moving him to 10th in the season-long race.

Perhaps most importantly, Fowler's victory was a clear refutation that he wasn't "overrated" and that he "couldn't win the big one," as was claimed by anonymous pros in a magazine poll last week.

Fowler completed his final round over an hour before the last groups finished theirs. Before he went to the driving range to stay warm in case of a playoff, Fowler was asked what the "overrated" poll results meant to him. He responded tersely, "It doesn't matter to me."

Later, after securing the win with two birdies in the four extra holes, his response was a bit more forthcoming and likely personally satisfying, noting that winning golf's so-called "fifth major" with the game's strongest field, "I'd say this was a pretty big one."

After overcoming the tough field and the very difficult Pete Dye-designed Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Fowler met with the media and discussed his performance. Here's what he had to say.

MODERATOR: I'd like to welcome our 2015 Players Championship winner to the interview room, Rickie Fowler. I'm not sure if you've been asked this on your way in or told this, but no one has ever played TPC Sawgrass in an 11 for 15, 16, 17 and 18. Needed every bit of it and then the playoff to boot. Tell us how you're feeling right now as Players Championship winner.

RICKIE FOWLER: Like I said earlier, it's still really not going to sink in for a while, but yeah, the way I played the past few there, just kind of being able to put myself in that position with the way I was playing, I guess not playing, I wasn't playing that great Saturday, and then into the first part of today's round and did everything I could to kind of fight to hang around. Finally everything clicked, and yeah, to play the last six holes that way and to step up and continue that in the playoff, big thanks to 17. It was a big help this week.

Q. I know you've been asked all week about the whole poll thing and whatnot, and it's probably hard to look at a big picture right now, but can you address a little bit what you think this means to you and where you go going forward?

RICKIE FOWLER: Well, you know, I was always looked at as only having one win on Tour, and I always felt that I needed to put myself in position to win more often, and I did that last year. I wasn't able to end up as the last guy standing. It feels good to be back in that position, and I'm hoping to be back in the same position more often.

Q. Whenever you're asked about the poll, you either carefully side-stepped it or downplayed it, but in the back of your mind did that provide at all any motivation for you last week?

RICKIE FOWLER: No, I laughed at the poll, but, yeah, if there was any question, I think this right here answers anything you need to know.

Q. More than the scores and the birdies and eagles, there was just a boldness about the way you played every shot from 16 onward. What was the manner in which you were kind of attacking? Were you playing like you had nothing to lose? How would you describe it?

RICKIE FOWLER: Well, yeah, coming in I knew I had to do something, and after I made the birdie on 15, I knew I had played - I hadn't played 16 particularly well. 17 and 18 I had played well. I had driven it well on 18, so I was excited about those last three. I knew I had an outside chance. I mean, obviously going 3-3-2-3 and you're standing there at 12-under after I finished, I thought there was a chance that I might win outright, but with those guys coming in, these are the best players in the world. That's why I was out on the range and very much ready to go for a playoff. Yeah, especially going into the playoff, it was almost like nothing to lose. I was out of the golf tournament through 12 holes today, and we managed to fight our way back in.

Q. Secondly, what was the club and the line you took on 16 in regulation?

RICKIE FOWLER: Let's see. The second shot you're talking about? Well, I was aiming a little further left than that. I was trying to aim kind of left side of the green and let it drift into the middle. It was 3-wood, and I think we had 243 hole or so. The ball was a little above my feet. I was just going to hit a choked-down 3-wood, which earlier this week we had to do that in the practice rounds on No. 8. We were playing the back of the tee, it was back into the wind, so it was a similar shot. Obviously different setting with water right, there was a lot more on the line. Like I said, I started a little right of where I wanted to, but had a good tight flight and held its line.

Q. What was the key moment in that six-hole stretch for you where you felt like you were back in the golf tournament and had a chance to win? And secondly, have you ever had a six-hole stretch, tournament or otherwise, where you kind of hit it that well and scored that well?

RICKIE FOWLER: Well, I mean, the biggest turning point for me was 12 when I made par there. I had an awkward lie in the fairway bunker, but when I knew I had a chance was when I made 3 on 16. As far as a stretch, going back to junior golf, I won the Western Junior, birdied four of the last five to win by one. And I started out a match play event, I think it was Polo Junior in AJGA, I birdied the first seven holes, but yeah, this is a pretty good way to close off the Players.

Q. Just to go back to that moment on 12, there was some conversation, sounded like you might just wedge out there. Can you just kind of -

RICKIE FOWLER: Yes, I hit 3-wood out to the right on 12, it wasn't very far right of the fairway, hit the tree and bounces back into the bunker. There was a lot of sand, so it made a pitch mark and then rolled out backwards. So obviously if the ball rolls forward you have a clearance where the ball creates a track so you can hit the ball forward, but you see a lot of the ball. When it rolled backwards, it was basically laying down in the sand, so I could -- barely half of the ball was above the sand, and I thought about trying to blade one out of there, and then we also thought about just blasting one out in the fairway. It would have been played like a plugged bunker shot. And then I was able to kind of figure out how to hit a punch pitching wedge, and it worked out perfectly.

Q. Did you hear the booing of Sergio?

RICKIE FOWLER: Did I hear the booing?

Q. Yeah.

RICKIE FOWLER: No, I didn't. I mean, I heard there was a lot going on out there. It was pretty loud.

Q. It was on the 17th in regular time, as it were.

RICKIE FOWLER: In regular play?

Q. You were watching television, weren't you?

RICKIE FOWLER: No, I was on the back of the range. I didn't have a TV.

Q. Well, there was booing. Is there anything you can say about that?

RICKIE FOWLER: No, there's some fans that have been out there for a while. I'm sure they were enjoying themselves. There was a lot of stuff being said, but I know, as players, we're not worrying about that. We're just trying to play the best we can. Obviously he played well this week, has played well this week, and I was lucky to be the one out in front of them.

Q. As a competitor you don't approve of it at all, do you?

RICKIE FOWLER: No. If they were booing, no, you don't want that.

Q. Your family is out here most weeks with you. What does it mean to have them out and especially what does it mean to have your mom here on Mother's Day?

RICKIE FOWLER: It's very special. My mom and sister both work for me, I guess keep me in line, as well as my girlfriend Alexis. So to have the three of them here, you know, it's been awesome being able to have my girlfriend traveling with me a bit and being at a lot of tournaments. And then my mom and sister were actually checked in to board their flight and made their way back as I made a little bit of a run. Very special to have all of them here, and especially my mom for Mother's Day. I know she's pretty happy.

Q. Did you know that your sister and your mom had left, and when did you realize they came back?

RICKIE FOWLER: I knew they were planning to leave or 4:00 or so, so I assumed with my less than stellar play the first 12 holes that they were well on their way, because I was out of contention, and then I had found out because I think my caddie was checking in to see if they were out or back, and found out they were on their way back, and they made it back in time.

Q. At the start of the week, all the talk was about the focus around Rory and Jordan. Can you talk about being back in that conversation with all these 20-somethings in the game and where the game is heading, in your eyes?

RICKIE FOWLER: Well, the game, I don't think, could really be in a better place. There's a lot of great players right now, a lot of young guys playing well, Rory being No. 1. He's done so well at playing at No. 1 and dealing with everything being the best player in the world. And then Jordan playing well and being No. 2 now, I think -- I think Jordan said earlier that there was some work to be done to be considered a rival of Rory's. Rory has distanced himself a bit from this group of younger guys, but there's going to be a lot of good competition in the years to come. Like I said, a lot of great young players, and none of us are afraid. We're ready to go to battle and have some fun.

Q. Just a clarification, when was the last time you saw your mom and sister before they left? Was it before you teed off?

RICKIE FOWLER: Last time I saw them, yeah, would have been for lunch in dining before I went out to warm up.

Q. And then knowing that your sister was behind the wheel, are you surprised that they were able to make it back in time?

RICKIE FOWLER: She can handle herself behind the wheel. We grew up riding and racing dirt bikes. She can manage.

Q. After you came off in regulation, Bubba was at the back of the green there and then you had a pretty animated conversation with Billy Horschel. Can you talk about that support and particularly the conversation with Billy? It seemed pretty colorful.

RICKIE FOWLER: Yes. Just to have the support of some of my close friends out here, I know there's - I have plenty of people that were blowing up the phone, I'm sure, that wish they could have been here. It means the world to me to have Bubba and Angie hang around with Caleb and Dakota. I got to see a few of the guys afterwards, I saw Zach and saw Billy as he was finishing and coming up there. He couldn't have been more pumped for me. Him and I go back to '07 Walker Cup where we were teammates and went to battle there together. I got to see him accomplish some pretty amazing stuff last year, and it's kind of cool to be on the other side now.

To have him come up to me so kind of - with the amount of emotion. Obviously he's a very emotional player and gets into it, and for him to come up and give me some words as far as he couldn't have been happier for me and so pumped and go get it done, you know, I'm looking forward to him and I playing well moving forward. I definitely consider him and I part of the young group that's playing well and can for a long time.

Q. You played with Derek Fathauer today and he said you hadn't played together since the 2008 U.S. Open final round, which is a long time between playing with someone. It seemed like you were laughing out there and having a good time. Can you talk about the pairing and whether it was a comfortable one for you?

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, Derek and I are good buddies. We've had some good memories playing together, and it has been a while. We both live down in Jupiter. But yeah, we've always enjoyed playing together. I like watching him play. He's a great player. Unfortunately, he didn't play as well today, but kind of fought through the round, was able to make some birdies late and able to get himself a decent finish. But yeah, we had a lot of fun out there. Having a good time, a good pairing can make a difference. Me along with my caddie Joe and Derek and his caddie Kip, the four of us, we had a great time out there, even though there were some low points, but we turned it around.

Q. Do you have any recollection from the 2008 Open, the final round, playing that with him?

RICKIE FOWLER: I mean, I know we were together and played there. We had a good time. We had some stuff that we took from that and used a little bit today finally towards the end. We had a little Shooter McGavin, pistols firing. We had some fun out there for sure.

Q. You've probably answered this question already, but you've had such great results in the majors. What do you think this victory is going to do today in terms of becoming a major champion?

RICKIE FOWLER: I mean, it's only going to help move me forward, being in the position I was in last year, being in contention, and really having a good chance at the PGA, I feel like I look at this event as basically like a major. It has the major feel, obviously one of the best fields we play all year, on a tough golf course. This will definitely give me momentum going into the U.S. Open and making me feel confident about being in this situation and taking care of business.

Q. Along those same lines, how would you compare the toll it takes on your nerves comparing the PGA Championship and your early win and what you did today?

RICKIE FOWLER: I felt very comfortable out there today, as did I at the PGA Championship. But a little bit different position being behind and kind of out of it versus the PGA Championship I was right there going against a few guys trying to get the job done. Yeah, very different situation. But being that I was able to get the job done here, especially in a playoff and when it really mattered, it's just going to give me added confidence and belief in myself going forward.

Q. Can you walk us through the conversation and just your thought process on the tee shots on 17, 18, and then, of course, in regulation, and then the approach and putt on 18, as well?

RICKIE FOWLER: So 17, regulation, I had perfect numbers there for kind of a choked-down gap wedge. I've played that pin, I've played the hole well, so just picked a line a little bit left of the target or left of the pin and hit a perfect shot, hit it right where I was looking. And I knew the putt there. I made one in 2012 from above the slope, but I knew coming down from about pin high or just past, it'll break left. And then, where my putt was, it actually goes back right. So I felt confident with that. The drive on 18, I've been driving it well there all week.

That's the hardest driving hole out here by far it seems like. Yeah, I really couldn't have hit one better, both in regulation and in the playoff. Derek gave me a good look at the putt on 18 as he was a little outside me, and he was a little bit to the left, but gave me a good look at it as far as what the ball was going to do by the hole. All I could do was hit it, try to hit it with good speed and see what happened.

Q. As the playoff was starting, you and Sergio were going up the 16th fairway and he's kind of got his arm around you, and it's kind of reaction you see when you know somebody is going to win or the outcome has already been resolved, but he's doing this to you as this playoff is starting. Could you talk about that moment and what was really behind it?

RICKIE FOWLER: Well, Sergio and I over the past year and a half or two years, it seems like we get paired together a lot Thursday-Friday or find a way to get paired together on the weekend. We have a great friendship. He's a lot of fun to be around. We enjoy playing together. We play well when we play together. I went up to him and said, we just can't get rid of each other. It was like, hey, let's go, let's have some fun, let's play some good golf and see what happens.

Q. I think you have four halves in seven Ryder Cup matches. I've heard the criticism that you're too nice of a guy, that you don't have a mean streak. Do you have to have a mean streak to be able to close these things out or was the three plus years since your last win a matter of putting?

RICKIE FOWLER: Well, I had some good fought halves on my side in order to get the halves and I've had some stuff that's happened to me where I've been up in the match and got the halves. So, if you need a half point, just call me. I've got that under control. (Laughter.) But no, I mean, yeah, there's times where being mean could help, but I don't see why being nice can hurt you in a way. Go out there and take care of business and play golf. It doesn't matter how mean or nice you are. Just go out there and hit the shots. I wasn't trying to be mean or nice by any means today down the stretch or in the playoff. I was just trying to take care of my business, focus on what I was doing, and not changing who I am, and make the best swings I could.

Q. And were you inspired by watching Rory's ability to close these things out and Jordan's ability to close out at the Masters?

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, seeing really all the guys, anyone, from guys that have been out here for a while, like watching Jim win a couple weeks ago, to seeing what Jordan did at the Masters, really anyone, just seeing how they handle the situation, the swings they make down the stretch and maybe how they walk and approach different shots and the time that they take, yeah, it can help and definitely gives you a little kick in the butt and inspires you to go do what they're doing.

Q. I understand why you had some pink in your outfit today, but with no orange, was that a one-off or are you now not going to wear your signature orange on Sundays?

RICKIE FOWLER: Guess we'll have to wait and see. This was special for Mother's Day, and we'll see what happens. I mean, I'm orange to the bone. I'm always going to stay a Cowboy. I don't really see that changing any time soon.

MODERATOR: Congratulations. Thank you so much. Great playing.

The transcript for the above interview is courtesy of ASAP Sports.

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