Majors behind him, Fowler tries to salvage seaso on
SPRINGFIELD: Rickie Fowler is short on Majors, not on class.
He returned to the 18th green at Baltusrol after an exhausting day because he wanted to congratulate the winner.
He is friendly with Jimmy Walker and Jason Day, though there is a special connection with Walker.
Both work with Butch Harmon. They were partners in all four matches in the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, and two matches in the Presidents Cup at South Korea. They were housemates at Royal Troon.
“He’s definitely one of my closest buddies on Tour,” Fowler said.
Sunday afternoon, however, was as close as Fowler came to a Major championship trophy this year.
He was trending in a big way two years ago when he finished in the top five at all four Majors, a feat previously achieved only by Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods until Jordan Spieth joined them last year.
Even so, it appeared to be only a matter of time before Fowler broke through.
That now seems like a long time ago.
On a soft course at Baltusrol, in a Major that produced five players who had all four rounds in the 60s, Fowler could only manage 70-71 in the last two rounds on Sunday and tied for 33rd. That was his best finish of the year in the Majors.
The British Open two weeks earlier was the first cut in a Major he made this year. He shot 76-73 on the weekend at Royal Troon.
He never shot better than 75 at Oakmont. He op pened with an 80 at Augusta Natio nal.
Golf is hard, and so are the Majors.
One year, Fow wler had top fives in all the Majors without winning a tournament. TheT next year, he won a career-bestb three times and didn’t t feature in any of the Maj jors.
There is no ca ause for alarm.
He still is No. 7 in the world, and that t’s not a case of bad math h. Fowler won in Januar ry at Abu Dhabi against the strongest field of the year on the European Tour.
He lost the Ph hoenix Open in a playoff after lead ding by two shots with two to play..
He had the 54-holeh lead at Quail Hollow in early May and closed with a 74.
Since then, his s only top 10 was at Firestone, a World Golf Championship withw a small field and no cut.
“It’s been a lit ttle slow the last couple of month hs,” Fowler said on Monday at th he TPC Boston to promote his tit tle defence next month in the Deutsche Bank Championship. “Just golf ’s har rd. “If it was easy y, then everyone would be out he ere playing and I wouldn’t have a job.
“So it’s just kindk of fighting through it and continuingc to put in the work, andd it will turn back around here soo n.”