Oklahoma State University Athletics
Parting Shots With Rickie Fowler
September 10, 2009 | Cowboy Golf
Sept. 10, 2009
With the Walker Cup set to begin this weekend, two-time All-American Rickie Fowler recently sat down to discuss what it means to represent the United States, his time at Oklahoma State and his decision to join the professional ranks.
Why is the Walker Cup so special to you?
"It is really hard to know unless you have played in it. Royal County Down was awesome. Some of the most fun I have ever had and I told the other seven guys it is going to be one of the funnest weeks of your life. I have never felt as nervous walking down a fairway as I did at Royal County Down and I wanted to have those feelings again and to bring the Cup back."
What is it like to play for the United States?
"It is tough to explain. You have to play in one to understand. It is pretty special. I have played in two U.S. Opens and I don't feel like I was as nervous. You are out playing for yourself and the Walker Cup, you are out playing for nine other guys and the captain, the USGA and the USA. It is a pretty cool event and I am definitely stoked that I am kind of finishing off the career with that and the U.S. Amateur here in Oklahoma."
What was your deciding factor in turning pro?
"I felt where I want to be in, say the next five years, I want to be out playing with the top guys in the world. I am going to be able to put more time into my game. I didn't see myself having an academic future, but going into the golf business and playing for a career."
How tough was the decision?
"It was pretty tough. The hardest time, it really hit me, was when I sent all the guys a text message telling them I wasn't coming back. I knew they, the coaches and the guys, had a pretty good idea that I was going to leave. There was a little chance of me coming back for another year, but they all had a good idea that I was probably going to go. One of the hardest things was sending out that text message."
What did you learn during your two years of college?
"I learned to manage my game a bit better. I learned a lot about myself and hanging around the guys here that are good players and the awesome coaches. It wasn't so much learning things, but more towards perfecting all aspects of the game and life. I felt like I got a lot out of the two years I spent here."
What will be your lasting memory of your time at Oklahoma State?
"There are plenty. Going to football games, going to basketball games, hanging out in the academic center and traveling with the guys on the plane or in the van. Going to tournaments, coming back, winning. You really can't single out one particular moment. It would have been nice to single out a national championship. I still look back at last year. We had the best team. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. It is hard to look back on one specific moment."
What has OSU come to mean to you?
"I was pretty excited that I had yesterday and today to come up and hang out for a bit. I am definitely going to try to give myself days and possibly weeks at a time where I can come and hang out and spend time here. It is just a great place. Outside of Karsten, the school, I am orange to the bone now. It is a cool place and I am definitely glad I was here."
What is the best advice you have received over the past few months?
"The thing that has helped me the most over the past year or year and a half has been when Coach (McGraw) spent some time with me a during the fall and the beginning of the spring when I was struggling a bit. I wasn't playing terrible, I just wasn't playing as well as I did the year before. I was putting too much pressure on myself and causing stressful situations on the course and expecting too much out of myself. He talked to me a few times and got me to calm down, remember it is just a game and go out and have fun. Keep the stress out of it, have fun and play stress-free golf. That is where I freed up the last part of the season, the postseason and the last few events are when I started to play better. I think that is really what has helped me the most, being stress-free. It also helps the other aspects outside of golf."
What have you done to prepare yourself for the transition to pro golf?
"Not much. I am still doing the same stuff I was, trying to get the ball in the hole. I don't really think anything is going to change game-wise. I played well at the Nationwide event in Columbus and I know I can go out and hang with those guys if I play well. I am just going to go and, like Coach got me to do, keep it fun and play stress-free golf and do my thing."
What was the Nationwide event like?
"I had a good week, but it wasn't a great week. I just kept it stress free. Fairways, greens and made a few putts. I was putting well that week, so the putts were going in. After the first day, I was in good position, but I played well the second day and put myself where I needed to be and knew I had a good shot at winning. After the third day, I knew I still had a chance because I knew the guys at the top there was a good chance of them coming backwards. Once I went out and started playing well that final day, I knew it was my tournament to win or lose. I don't really feel like I lost it. I did bogey the last hole, which was unfortunate. I felt like I hit some good shots there. I hit some really good putts on the last hole of regulation and the playoff it just wasn't meant to be. The way I look at it, me and (Derek) Lamely finished four shots clear of third place. We had a good week and the two of us kind of ran away with it, which is pretty cool. It did a lot for him, which was pretty cool to see him get his first win. He was pretty stoked for it so I was happy for him. It would have been nice to get the win, but I will just have to wait. Maybe Boise or something like that."
What do you see as your biggest challenge coming up?
"I think the biggest challenge is going to be getting my Tour card. It is a tough thing to do. Right now I am definitely focusing on the U.S. Amateur and the Walker Cup, those two things. I am pretty pumped about finishing my amateur career as an individual in Oklahoma, kind of in my backyard. After that, it is going to be getting my Tour card."
What would a win at the U.S. Amateur mean to you?
"It would top off an awesome amateur career. I have the Walker Cup to look forward to as well, but this is my last individual event. I have never really played to well in match play, like the U.S. Junior or the Amateur. I have had one good U.S. Amateur before I came here. Other than that, I have struggled a bit, same with the Public Links, so it would definitely do a lot for my confidence and starting out my pro career. Winning here in Oklahoma would be 10 times better than winning it somewhere else."
What do you think the biggest difference between professional and amateur golf will be?
"I am not exactly sure yet since I haven't been out there as a professional yet. It is a job. You are playing for a living. I don't ever want to look at it that way. I want to be out there like Tiger is. He is out there to win. He has more money than he knows what to do with and he is out there fighting in whatever tournament he is at to win. That is really the only reason I am going out there. It is a grind and is tough. There is a lot of traveling. There isn't any school, but it is still tough. If you play good golf it will answer all the questions."
What is your fall schedule look like?
"Right now, my first event is Boise (Albertsons Boise Open), the Nationwide event. As of now, there is a week where I am off and then Soboba (Soboba Classic), which is back home. That is another Nationwide event that is around 45 minutes from my house. That one is going to be pretty special and Boise is one of the best Nationwide events from what I have heard, so it is going to be pretty cool to start out my career there. Other than those two, we are working on a few more invites. We are trying to get a few more Nationwide starts and a few Tour starts. Starting more in October after all of the playoffs are done. Hopefully, working toward having status and ultimately and most likely heading toward Q School."
How much have you drawn from the OSU players that have played professionally?
"I try to spend as much time with them as I can. I think (Chris) Tidland has learned a bit from me and I have learned a bit from him. We spend a lot of time together when we are both here in town. I think that is some of the best practice you can get is playing with other good players. That is what is great about being here is you have great players on the team that help you get better."
