Fowler hoping for different result Sunday
AUGUSTA, Ga. — He’s been trying his best to stay in the moment, something that hasn’t always been easy for Rickie Fowler.
His friends have won major championships, and he’s celebrated with them, genuinely happy for their success. The sight of Fowler waiting by the 18th green to trade high-fives and hugs with players including Bubba Watson and Sergio Garcia is a familiar one to golf fans.
But when he starts thinking about winning one himself, things often quickly go south.
That didn’t happen Saturday, when Fowler didn’t make a bogey on his way to a 7-under-par 65 that put him in third place in the Masters. Though he’s five shots behind Patrick Reed, only Rory McIlroy stands between him and the leader.
He’s close enough to start to think just a little bit ahead, if only for a moment.
“Obviously it’s been everyone’s dream to win the Masters,” Fowler said. “Growing up, to be able to have that chance to walk up 18 with a chance to win or maybe you have it closed out and that’s your walk to victory. We did a great job today of giving ourselves a chance for tomorrow.”
The player everyone in golf seems to love is also the player many have trouble figuring out. Fowler drives the ball long and straight, and his touch with a putter can be dazzling.
But while Fowler has posted a few wins and put up numbers in his eight years as a touring pro he hasn’t won a major.
For that to change on Sunday, his mind can’t wander.
“It’s just a matter of him focusing a little better and getting his mind more set on what he wants to do instead of racing ahead and thinking of winning the tournament,” his swing coach, Butch Harmon, said.
Fowler will tee off a group behind the leaders Sunday afternoon, a position he’s more than familiar with. It was in that group last year that he faded on the back nine for a disappointing final round 76, yet still hung around to congratulate Garcia on his breakthrough win.
“Last year, at times I may have gotten maybe too defensive or too aggressive, and, you know, you learn from that and move on,” Fowler said. “I mean, it wasn’t the finish that I wanted last year; it would have been nice to take advantage of the position we were in, making the turn and only being a few back, but we didn’t.”
To have a chance Sunday, he’ll have to channel his mindset from Saturday, a day when Fowler needed a low score to even think about winning the green jacket.
“If I didn’t put together a good round of golf, then we weren’t going to have a shot,” he said.
What was his mental approach?
“Give me that putter,” Fowler said, “and we’ll go have some fun.”
Woods’ ranking improves: Tiger Woods is making a move — in the world rankings, not the Masters leaderboard. He is expected to crack the top 100 for the first time in years.
Woods shot an even-par 72 in the third round and is at 4-over 220 through three rounds. He continued to struggle with iron play, failing to get a grip on distance control.
But Woods, 42, is playing the Masters for the first time since 2015, returning after a fourth back operation. He started the week ranked No. 103 in the world, but should move up several spots after making the cut.
Woods won’t win a fifth green jacket Sunday, so he says he now has a modest goal for the final round: “Even par or even in the red. Hopefully, I can get it done.”
Raise a glass for Mickelson: Phil Mickelson found a silver lining — crystal, really — in the third round at the Masters.
Mickelson shot a 2-over 74 thanks partly to making a triple bogey and a bogey on the first two holes. He is at 7-over 223 heading into the final 18 holes.
Easily his highlight of the third round was an eagle at the par-5 eighth. It was the 19th eagle of his career at the Masters, and each one comes with a commemorative crystal glass.
Mickelson said “it wasn’t a total loss” and added “you can never have enough crystal.”