No time like present for Fowler to break through
E RIN, Wis. — It’s time for Rickie Fowler to get it done the way Sergio Garcia did at Augusta. It’s time for him to prove he has what it takes to win a major championship.
Fowler, 28, enters Sunday’s fourth and perhaps final round two shots behind leader Brian Harman after a 4-under 68 during Saturday’s third round. He is just one of about 13 golfers (all within five shots of the lead) with a chance to win the 117th U.S. Open. But he is the only one who carries the label of being the best player never to have won a major. He can erase that tag Sunday.
“It’s going to be a really cool day for someone,” Fowler said. “I’m looking forward to my shot at it. I know it’s not going to be an easy day, but I’m looking forward to getting the job done.”
Of course, winning is easier said than done, especially at Erin Hills where the U.S. Open has turned into a birdie barrage. There are more red numbers on the leaderboard than on a Las Vegas roulette table, which goes against just about everything America’s national golf championship is supposed to be about.
At this point, nobody should care. Certainly, not anyone who will be at Erin Hills for what promises to be an exciting Father’s Day Sunday. Instead of the overly cautious approach that normally prevails at most U.S. Opens, anyone thinking about holding the trophy will need to compile a barrage of birdies to have any chance.
“We’re going to have a good time,” Fowler said. “It’s a pretty young leaderboard and it’s jam packed. It’s a different version of a U.S. Open. But I think we’re going to be able see a little more offense and take advantage of some of those scoring opportunities.”
Fowler will have to play better than he did Saturday to win, and that’s saying something. He rolled in six birdies, including three straight at holes 14, 15 and 16 that put him within striking distance.
“That was big,” Fowler said. “I told my caddy after we made that bogey [at the par-3 13th] we had some scoring opportunities coming up. You couldn’t press it too much. But we did a good job staying within ourselves and let it come to us.”
Forget about par being a good score in the U.S. Open. At Erin Hills you barely would have made the cut at 1-over, and if Sunday is anything like the previous three days, someone is going to have to shoot in the low 60s to win, unless Mother Nature decides to rear an angry face.
“Hopefully we don’t get any water on the course and it dries out a little bit and makes it to where it’s going to take a quality round of golf to win,” Fowler said. “You’ve seen 5,6, 7, 9-under out there. But you still have to golf your ball out there.”
Fowler won’t carry as much baggage into the final round as Garcia did at the Masters, where he ended a string of 73 majors without a win. But at 28, Fowler is the ninth-ranked player in the world and should be more than ready for Sunday. He has felt this kind of pressure before. In 2014, he finished fifth at the Masters, second at the U.S. Open and British Open and the third at the PGA Championship. It looked like he was ready to break through in 2015 or 2016, but didn’t win his major. Now he has his chance.
His 65 on Thursday tied a U.S. Open record in relation to par and was a good omen. He needs to finish the job today.
“I’ll take exactly where I’m at,” Fowler said. “That was goal in the week to be in contention on Sunday whether it’s two in front, two in back or tied for the lead. Let’s go.”
It’s time.