Rickie Fowler's Post-Round Interview Provides Good Advice For Examinees
By the end of the day, a U.S. Open champion will be crowned. The final round of the men’s third major golf tournament of the year is set up to be an exciting finish.
Topping the leaderboard are Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark, both at 10-under-par.
After yesterday’s third round, Fowler spoke with the media. He was a treasure trove of great quotes that examinees can use to help them better prepare for the bar exam:
1. "After going through the last few years I'm not scared to fail.”
Fowler’s resurgent game is a bit surprising, considering his ranking plummeted to outside the Top 100 and didn’t even qualify for the event a year ago. But his recent struggles are what make him a stronger contender today.
Examinee takeaway: My blog post, “’Playing to Win’ Mentality,” explains that examinees should view the bar exam as an achievable challenge rather than an intimidating threat.
2. "We all feel nerves at times.”
Fowler admitted that he feels nervous before certain shots or circumstances, but he said that’s overcome by knowing he’s playing some of his best golf.
Examinee takeaway: Examinees should understand there’s always going to be some nervousness and anxiety while studying for and even taking the bar exam. But that’s okay. My blog post, “Rethinking How to Cope with Anxiety,” discusses why examinees should learn how to cope with anxiety differently so they can use it to their advantage.
3. "I think the big thing is the mind can wander and you can kind of do whatever between shots. It's nearly impossible to go out there and be dead focused for four to five hours.”
Under USGA rules, players have 40 seconds to hit a shot when it's their turn. On a par-70 course, like at this year’s U.S. Open, that means players are spending about 47 minutes preparing for and hitting balls during a five-hour, even-par round.
Examinee takeaway: Examinees will want to think about what they can do now so that they can improve their mental focus and physical stamina during the 12 hours of the bar exam. I provide a few tips in my blog post, “Improving Focus and Stamina for the Bar Exam.”
4. "I think I've done a lot better with my process leading up to shots—understanding there are negative thoughts or that there is trouble for missed shots out there, and just accepting I may not hit it perfect, but this is where I'm going to try and hit it and this is what I'm focusing on."
Fowler knows that golf isn’t a game of perfection. There’s even a best-selling golf instruction book called, Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect. Similarly, the bar exam is not a game of perfect, too.
Examinee takeaway: While perfectionism is a very admirable trait, it can actually hurt examinees on the bar exam. In my blog post, “The Bar Exam is Not a Game of Perfect,” I explain why examinees shouldn’t adhere tightly to their perfectionist tendencies.
