Fansided

Rickie Fowler was Ready For Tiger Woods This Time

By Les Bailey

Sep 9, 2012; Carmel, IN, USA; Rickie Fowler waits in the fairway to hit his second shot on the 2nd hole during the final round of the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 9, 2012; Carmel, IN, USA; Rickie Fowler waits in the fairway to hit his second shot on the 2nd hole during the final round of the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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If anyone enjoys the support of a large fan base almost as much as the new number one golfer in the world, it’s Rickie Fowler. Fowler has become one of the more popular players on the PGA Tour, largely over the past year, and all of the hype is not all about his dress code. Yeah…like Tiger Woods, he now has a traditional Sunday uniform that is largely orange instead of Red and Black, but hey…, part of what I like about him, is he’s unique.

Sep 9, 2012; Carmel, IN, USA; Rickie Fowler waits in the fairway to hit his second shot on the 2nd hole during the final round of the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 9, 2012; Carmel, IN, USA; Rickie Fowler waits in the fairway to hit his second shot on the 2nd hole during the final round of the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Unlike last summer, when he shot 84 on Sunday, when paired with Tiger in the final round of The Memorial, this time Rickie Fowler was ready. I think he got toughened up a bit during the Ryder Cup, playing in front of a wild crowd and all, and that first win at The Wells Fargo in May didn’t hurt either. What ever the case, he came to the fourth round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament with the determination to not let what happen to him last year happen again. This time, the 24 year old from Murrieta, California was clad in his Okie State Orange, and ready to play.

The final round began with Rickie just getting through the weather problems, and the front nine, up to the eighth hole with all pars. He seemed to fight a slight pull all day off the tee, putting him out of position to get too aggressive. His day turned around at nine, where he picked up that first birdie, and started his march back up the leaderboard.

After trading birdies with Tiger at 12, where at one instance in time(before Tiger putted) he was within one stroke of the lead. Tiger covered his putt, and Rickie put another birdie up at 14 before trading bogeys with Woods at 15. Rickie Fowler went to the 16th hole knowing he needed at least birdie to keep up. After all…Tiger was in the fairway bunker, and had to lay up, so the seven iron was the correct play. This would probably be his one chance in the tournament to catch the defending champ.

Fowler made the correct call at the right time to make his move, and he just hit it too fat. With no room for error, it was a bad time for a chuncker, but what the heck, he tried. What happened afterwards with the second chunk was the difference between second and third place. The chance to win the tournament was gone, and he knew it.

After Monday’s finish at Bay Hill, I become a Rickie Fowler fan. Up until the back nine, and specifically the 16th hole, I wasn’t convinced that he was champion material. He was largely, a very popular golfer because of the way he dresses, and would be unable to compete for championships on Sunday, let alone major championships. After what I saw, I think his time is close. Unfortunately, he waited for the year of the Perfect Storm to make his move to the next level, but at least I feel like he has the talent and grit to make that move.

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