Rickie Fowler Talks Colonial

Following his third round 69 at famed Hogan’s Alley, Rickie Fowler spoke about what makes the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club a special event and place to play as well as the difficult conditions with only one day remaining before the $25 million renovation begins on Memorial Day.

Fowler finished his second round at 1-under, well inside the cut line of 1-over and teed off at 8:55 am on Saturday morning.

Fowler’s best finish at Colonial is a tie for fifth in 2012.

JB: What makes this place so special that you work it into your schedule amidst the PGA Championship and the elevated events on the crowded PGA TOUR calendar?

RICKIE FOWLER: It’s a place that has a lot of history and we don’t get to play many golf courses that are like this that are old school but are still a very good test as you can see from the scores. I think some of it, especially this year with tearing up the course, they can kind of push it a little bit. I’m sure this afternoon and tomorrow, the greens will be getting crispy as they were yesterday afternoon. But it’s a fun place because it’s got enough length but you’re not always hitting drivers and it’s more about getting the ball in play in the fairway, kind of “position golf.” Between here and Detroit would be in a way similar being an old Donald Ross, and Hilton Head, there’s not very many stops on Tour that have this feel and it’s fun to do something different.

JB: Several golfers have compared the conditions and the greens to a major with them pushing it close, since you have played in so many majors, how would you compare it after your round today?

RICKIE FOWLER: The benefit of not shooting very low the first two days is getting to play in the morning on Saturday and the greens were still somewhat receptive, still firm, but not like they’ll be this afternoon. Yesterday afternoon, it was pretty dicey out there. When they get that firm, they don’t roll as good and they get a little choppy. You’re trying to hit putts with good pace, but it’s easy to hit putts three, four, five feet by and those get a little interesting at times. But it’s a great test, like I said, it’s not short but it’s not long and it’s just a fun place to play.