Fowler hoping major success begins at 30
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Defending Hero World Challenge champion Rickie Fowler is hoping that hitting 30 will signal an overdue era of success at golf ’s highest level.
The American, who turns 30 on 13 December, has three runner-up finishes and five other top-fives in his 36 major championship appearances since his debut at the 2008 US Open.
While he’s not about to panic, Fowler would dearly like to see his name crossed off the “best players never to win a major” list.
“I’ve always heard that 30s were your prime, so we’re just getting into it,” he said on Wednesday as he prepared to defend his title in the elite 18-player unofficial event on the Albany course, where Fowler stormed to victory last year with a blistering finalround 61.
The win was Fowler’s eighth since turning professional in 2009. It was his last trip to the winner’s circle, but Fowler remains confident he’ll be hoisting more trophies.
“There’s no urgency, and I don’t see any kind of rush or anything like that,” said Fowler, whose two runner-up finishes in 2018 included a second place at the Masters.
“I look at the next five to 10 years as the time to take advantage of things and make sure that we’re not sitting back and just relaxing, go out and take care of what we want to take care of and see what can happen.
“I would say the 40s is a little bit more of where we’d look at prime would be kind of in the rear-view mirror.
“So, I’m looking forward to these next five to 10 years of taking advantage of them and making them count.”