Pro Golf Now
Fansided

Rickie Fowler should be a favorite at PGA Championship

By Randy Holt

facebooktwitterreddit

We’ve seen a lot of good from Rickie Fowler this year. After being declared “most overrated” on Tour by a field of his peers, he rattled off impressive wins at The Players and the Scottish Open. He almost pulled out a win at the Quicken Loans National a couple of weeks ago.

More from PGA

We’ve also seen some questionable play from Rickie this year. Chambers Bay was nothing short of a disaster. That Quicken Loans performance, while it did see him finish second, was plagued by a battle with the bogie monster, when he wasn’t slinging birdies. More consistency might have seen his third win of the year. But such is the nature of the beast that this game is. Which Rickie Fowler will we see show up this weekend at Whistling Straits for the PGA Championship? Either way, we’re in for plenty of intrigue from the 26-year-old.

Read More: Surprise Heros Hiding in the PGA Championship Field

Results of the previous majors this year are really quite irrelevant, especially within the context of what is set to transpire this weekend at Whistling Straits. Nonetheless, here we go:

  • Masters: 12th
  • U.S. Open: Missed Cut
  • British Open: 30th
  • PGA Championship: ???

Mixed bag after a year in which he excelled in majors. Not quite the barrel of fun he likely hoped he’d have in major tournaments this year, but the PGA Championship presents an opportunity for Fowler to play to his strengths on a links style course. Sure, that was the case with Chambers Bay, but that course was a disaster in itself, as evident by astronomical scores and the high volume of complaints from players all over the Tour.

Live Feed

3 Bold Predictions for Hero World Challenge (Can Tiger Woods Win?)
3 Bold Predictions for Hero World Challenge (Can Tiger Woods Win?) /

Betsided

  • Ryder Cup Round 1 Matchup Bets (Europe with Slight Edge in Opening Session)Betsided
  • Ryder Cup records for every player on Team USA and Team EuropeFanSided
  • Zach Johnson chooses country over politics with Brooks Koepka Captain’s pick for Ryder CupFanSided
  • Open Championship Saturday tee times: Who made the cut at Royal Liverpool?FanSided
  • British Open score predictions (What will be the winning score at Royal Liverpool?)Betsided

    • He certainly has the momentum working in his favor. The Scottish Open was a strong second win for Fowler to add to his resume. And although he finished 30th at the British Open, he did make a charge early in the weekend, though it was for naught in the long run.

    He followed that up with the second place finish at Quicken Loans National and a 10th place finish in last weekend’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Rickie’s performances specifically at the Scottish Open, as well as last month at St. Andrews, should bode well for Whistling Straits this weekend.

    In this particular tournament, Fowler has had success, but his experience at Whistling Straits is limited. The last time the course hosted the PGA Championship was 2010, where Fowler barely made the cut en route to finishing tied for 58th. It’s probably safe to say that he’s come a little bit of a ways in the five years since.

    He’s always been a strong player on links style courses, something that he admitted earlier in the season prior to the events at Chambers Bay. Specifically at Whistling Straits, his ability to get that high draw on shots and the fact that he ranks 34th on Tour in sand save percentage (57.29%) should allow him to get into the mix among contenders this weekend. The high volume of bunkers that players will encounter makes that latter statistic paramount for Fowler. Par-5 scoring could be key too, where Fowler ranks 34th on Tour with a 4.61 stroke average.

    At the end of the day, we’re seeing Rickie Fowler play some of the best golf of his career, and he should absolutely be considered a favorite because of it. He’s already shaken off that overrated label that he inexplicably, and unfairly, earned earlier his year. With four top five finishes in majors last year, and shaky performances in majors this year, we really don’t know what to expect. But with the momentum he’s built, and the mentality he now appears to be carrying with him, in addition to the links style course at Whistling Straits, the fates could very well favor Rickie Fowler capturing his first major title this weekend.

    Randy Holt is a staff writer for Pro Golf Now. You can follow him on Twitter @RandallPnkFloyd.

    Next: A Look at the Whistling Straits Par 3s

    More from Pro Golf Now

    Home/PGA