THE 153RD OPEN

July 17, 2025

Rickie Fowler

Mixed Zone

Q. First of all, how did you feel playing in that first round?

RICKIE FOWLER: Good day other than a couple swings, missed a couple short ones. Other than that, a good solid start. I think that's really all you can ask for on Thursday.

Q. Six years ago here in Portrush you were just outside the top 5. Obviously with the score you got today, you do well on this course.

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, I enjoy playing it. I've had success on it back in 2019. It's a tricky golf course, depending on where the wind's at and what kind of weather we have. You have to think your way around it and hit -- execute still but also know when you can maybe play on the aggressive side or when you need to kind of play conservative or just stay smart and take what the course gives you.

Q. What is your way to deal with different conditions during the same round mentally, like today?

RICKIE FOWLER: The start going out, the first six holes, it was pretty windy and had some rain. I think just not trying to get too cute or try and do too much, play a little bit conservative. Bogeys are okay at times. You can get yourself into trouble pretty quickly out there if you maybe try and do too much.

Yeah, other than I missed a short one on 3, we got off to a nice solid start with the conditions. Then once it dried out, we started to get a little bit of sunshine. It was still breezy, but from there, once the golf ball is able to stay a little drier, it's a little easier to control.

Q. Of course it's still Thursday, but the feeling of being there in the mix in a major, just being back again?

RICKIE FOWLER: Yeah, it's great. We've been in the mix quite a few times over here. I love playing over here. It's a style of golf I love to play. I know I can compete in any style of golf, but especially this.

Yeah, definitely nice to get off to a solid start because you can take yourself out of the tournament pretty quickly Thursday with a poor round.

Q. When it's firm and fast as it was and the rain comes in, that transition, Lee Westwood told me the first couple hops just kind of skid on you because the water is fresh to the fast and firm. What do you make of that transition?

RICKIE FOWLER: The golf course hasn't been fast and firm compared to what it could be, compared to what I've heard guys saying how last week was over at Renaissance in Scotland.

Conditions have been fair, as far as the firmness goes, but when you start to get a little bit of moisture on the ground and a wet golf ball, certain clubs spin a little more, some ride up the face and aren't spinning as much. Coming into winds, depending if it's into the wind or downwind, especially downwind, you're going to get a lot that skid and aren't going to be able to grab.

So it doesn't take that much firmness when you get downwind with a little bit of moisture on the ground. It's tough to stop the ball. Greens slow down a little bit with the moisture on them. But I feel like for the most part everyone here has played in all these conditions, and you kind of just have to adapt as you go.