BMW Championship Round 1: Rickie Fowler Breaks Down His Game Plan

Rickie Fowler opened his 2025 BMW Championship campaign with a steady round built on fairway accuracy and smart approach play. Starting with a birdie on the first hole, Fowler kept things simple despite a pair of early bogeys, finishing the day with consistent ball-striking.

After a rain delay softened the course, Fowler noticed more receptive greens but also trickier rough. He shared how his mindset this week is more relaxed compared to last week in Memphis, yet with full awareness of what’s at stake—earning a spot in the TOUR Championship and securing top-30 status for next season’s majors.

Fowler also discussed the balance between distance and precision at Olympia Fields, how approach play is separating the field, and what worked for him on a strong stretch from holes 7 to 11. He even joked about his “playoff beard” and how his daughter might be the one who decides if it stays.

📺 Watch the full interview for insights on Fowler’s game plan, playoff outlook, and approach to the rest of the week.

Ricky, a little bit of continuation from the play you had last week. Yeah. Uh, for the most part, uh, started off nicely. Almost made it on the first. Started off a nice birdie and then, uh, two bogeies. Kind of settled things back down pretty quickly, but, um, yeah, did a, you know, pretty good job from there. Just keeping it fairly simple. A lot of fairways, a lot of greens. Um, so yeah, nice solid start and that’s that’s really all I wanted out of a Thursday. How did the how did the course play a little differently once the when you guys came back out from the break? Uh it got quite a bit softer. Um you know some had a couple like minor mud balls. There’s probably I’m sure some guys were getting some more um more than I did. So um don’t blame uh all the bad shots may not be on purpose. Um the greens were were definitely a lot more receptive. It was tough controlling spin. Uh, luckily I only had had one wedge shot, but um, it it ripped back pretty good. Um, but yeah, it was still good. I mean, still a premium to to hit it in the short grass, stay out of the rough. Rough probably got, you know, worse being that it was wet. Um, so luckily I didn’t have to deal with that too much. Ricky, as much as I hate the word expectations, because I know you expect great things every week, are they different u in your in your head now than they were going into Memphis? Um, not necessarily. Um, I feel like things have been heading in the right direction and I’ve been in a good spot for, you know, a few months now of of knowing where the game is and and it’s continuing to get better. Um, last week I definitely, you know, like my chances with how I was playing and and, you know, I like that golf course. I’ve had success there before and this is a bit different. It’s a lot different test than what Memphis gave us last week, but with how the game has been, um, you know, in a way kind of playing like last two weeks or more so this week probably in a way more of a nothing to lose. Last week was, you know, maybe more important with getting inside the top 50. Obviously, there’s some other implications being inside the top 30 with majors. Um, and then going into next week and everyone’s starting at zero. So, um, you know, I know what you need to do. need to have a solid finish and and play well, but if we keep continuing what we’ve been doing, it shouldn’t be an issue. If you don’t make it to East Lake, will you leave here disappointed? You’re always disappointed as we look at the year. Um, yeah. I think it’s it’s more of a perspective thing. Um, as a golfer, unless you win, um, the initial is that you’re always disappointed until you kind of look back and try and piece together, okay, you know, what was good. um you know, looking back through the season, how I continue to build and how I manage the body and stuff I’ve been dealing with there and and continuing to get better and ultimately trending into where we are now. Um but yeah, every time you fall short, you’re always disappointed as a golfer. Said earlier this week you’re not paying attention to the specifics of what you might need to finish. I’m just wondering if you’ll you’d reach a point at some point this week where you will kind of fully check in and understand what you know what you need. Um, well, I think someone mentioned it in an interview. Um, I heard 13th thrown out. I don’t know if that’s right or not. Um, or how close that is. You know, there’s some other situations where, you know, it’s dictated by where other guys are at and how they finish. Um, so all I can do is, you know, go play some good golf and, you know, try and go put myself in a in a position where I can go win this event. Uh, a win, there’s no questions in where that puts me. So, um, yeah, just need to keep executing, playing well, and, um, you know, see if we can get ourselves a tea time next week. In the leadup, there seem to be consensus that distance would be like an overwhelming priority on this course, just given how long it is, but it seems like when you look at kind of the top guys, it’s all approach play that is separated so far. Just wondering kind of your take, does it feel like a second shot golf course? Like, what what do you feel like it particularly emphasizes? Um, I think it’s it’s a good combo. I mean, yeah, that distance can help on holes, but um you don’t necessarily have to hit driver on a lot of holes. You can get away with, you know, I I carry, you know, many basically a strong 3-wood. Um and it’s not all drivers out there. Um but playing from the short grass is is key. And then, you know, from there, how the greens are, you know, with the amount of slope in areas and how they’re sectioned off, having that control and being able to put the ball in kind of the proper position helps. Um, so I think it’s a it’s a good blend. Um, I think the approach play when you’re seeing that separate, um, that’s I feel like off the tea, it’s there’s enough room. um you’re going to see a lot of guys, you know, drive it well to decent. Um and then from there, that’s where you can kind of separate yourself and and you know how well you take advantage of those opportunities when you are playing from the fairway. What worked well on that stretch you had 7 through 11ish. What was working for you? Um lot of fairways, made a couple putts. Uh I think it was just more control, putting putting the ball in the right spot. Um, I’m trying to remember the holes. I’ve only been around the golf course a couple times now. Um, yeah, I hit a hit a couple good shots that that were close enough. Didn’t have to make too long of a putt. I made a nice one on 10 from about 20 ft. Um, hit a good wedge into 11. Um, so yeah, a lot of it was just, you know, pretty simple golf. Is that a playoff beard? I don’t know what it is. I think the last I it it was growing for a bit through the through the British got home. Um Maya usually Maya our oldest usually tells me dead take your hair off. Um she’s mentioned it. I I try and tickle her as much as I can with it and she was kind of messing with it yesterday. So we’ll see if she lets me keep it. She kind of dictates uh a lot of that but um so far she hasn’t forced me to take it off yet. hear about my fans.