Rickie Fowler: All American Talent

BY Anthony Powter | 01 Nov 2008

Rickie Fowler continues to show why he is one of the world’s best amateurs. Last month at the World Amateur Championships the American secured the lowest individual score for the Championship, finishing at 10-under-par over arguably two of Australia’s hardest layouts, the West Course at The Grange and Royal Adelaide.

Fowler’s efforts in Adelaide against a star studded international amateur field added to his ever impressive list of achievements, which include the prestigious 2008 Players Amateur, as well as successfully defending his Sunnehanna Amateur title back in June. A brief review of 19-year-old’s resume illustrates just what a prolific winner the American has been on the world amateur stage.

Rickie Fowler Audio Interview

Back in June 2007 Fowler gained the world number one amateur ranking position, holding the top spot until he was dethroned by Danny Lee’s efforts at the Western Amateur this year in August.

Losing the number one slot for any athlete is never taken lightly and in Fowler’s case it has now become his main goal to regain that world number one ranking.

“Oh yeah defiantly, I’m aiming to get that spot back,” said Fowler from his Oklahoma base during our interview this morning.

“The top spot means a lot, but in my head rankings are not everything yet it’s always nice to be number one as everyone is kind of looking at you. Right now every one is looking at Danny [Lee] and we are all trying to chase him down.”

Those fortunate enough to see Fowler in action during the World Amateur Championships in Adelaide last month witnessed an evolving player with a game that has a powerful mix of raw talent, balanced with maturity and poise well beyond his teenage years.

Earlier in the year Fowler qualified for the US Open to compete in his first major. His efforts on the opening day at Torrey Pines, a venue that is only an hour away from his hometown of Murietta, California, stole the show.

Fowler was the youngest competitor at the US Open and opened with a 1-under-par 70 on the first day to sit alongside four players in 7th place. He was just one of 11 players to break par in the opening round and his efforts made headlines around the world.

“It was a great experience to see my name on the leaderboard.”

“I moved up a few places on Friday to get to 5th place, but ended up falling back and Tiger and Phil [Mickelson] passed me up. I had a great experience there and made the weekend cut. Hopefully there will be a lot more of that to come.”

Playing the main tour events is something Fowler thrives on. He is aware he needs to build upon his consistency out on the course, which is simply a matter of getting more experience at the next level.

“Playing on the few events that I’ve managed to get on the PGA Tour has seen me had two or so good rounds and I feel that if I can go out there and just play my game, I can do fine.”

Fowler is currently completing his second year of an Economics major at Oklahoma State. He was the first freshman to win the Ben Hogan Award as the best amateur golfer among the collegiate ranks and earned the Phil Mickelson award in 2007 as the top American freshman. He was also the youngest member of the victorious 2007 USA Walker Cup Team, going 3-1 in the individual match play at Royal Country Down in Ireland.

US collegiate golf presents not only a challenge for Fowler with maintaining academic and golfing results, but also provides him with the necessary avenue to enable him to focus on developing his game.

“College gives you the best of both and I’ve been fortunate to be able to create a good balance between the classroom and getting out on the course,” says Fowler.

“It’s really not that bad and for me it’s working out perfectly. We have a bit of a down time here at the moment, so I’ve been working on my short game and getting ready for Walker Cup practice, which starts in early spring.”

The combined discipline of academia and playing US collegiate golf is a factor not often considered by outsiders. There have been numerous Australians who have either not made the grade academically or fallen out because the going was too tough. Others like Sydney’s Aron Price, who is on the verge of gaining his PGA Tour card, have evolved from the US collegiate system stronger to progress their golf to the next level.

Fowler is no different.

“For me it’s currently about limiting my mistakes out on the golf course. You focus on aiming for fairways and greens and sinking those critical putts,” says Fowler, already a winner of two collegiate tournaments, including the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational, where he matched Vijay Singh’s course record 63 in the second round. Singh shot the 63 in the 2003 US Open.

“That’s why I’m still in college, to work on my game and my consistency.”

There’s also regaining that number one ranking which Fowler is currently eyeing off. He’s passionate, but by no means obsessive, with regaining that top mantle position over Danny Lee.

Having watched both Lee and Fowler in action, it’s sure to be an interesting tussle over the top ranking. Both exhibit unique swings, Lee with his “extended” elbow past impact and Fowler with his lighting fast follow through.

Fowler has the kind of poise and maturity attributed more to a seasoned tour journeyman, an attribute that will undoubtedly see him progress to the next level. That’s also not discounting Fowler’s pure talent, which is something you are struck by on the golf course and it’s certainly worth seeing if you can get the chance.