Can Rickie Fowler Make a Statement at the WGC-HSBC Champions?

With his victory drought nearing 10 months, can Rickie Fowler turn things around at this week’s WGC?

It hasn’t exactly been a banner year for Rickie Fowler. The three-time PGA Tour winner started off 2016 in style, claiming a European Tour win Abu Dhabi and losing to Hideki Matsuyama in a playoff at the Waste Management Phoenix Open within the first six weeks. However, he failed to notch a major top 10 for the second year in a row and fell out of the top 10 in the world ranking, putting a real damper on his season.

By the end of the PGA Tour season, Fowler was leaking serious oil and no longer appeared to be one of the USA’s top players — he was very lucky to net a captain’s pick for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, being saved only by his strong relationships with his peers. But even with the Americans’ feel-good win at Hazeltine, Fowler entered this week’s WGC-HSBC Champions, his first event of the 2016-17 season, with something to prove.

Through just 18 holes, the Oklahoma State product has already made a big statement about the state of his game. He torched China’s Sheshan Golf Club for a bogey-free 65, circling five birdies on the back nine alone to reach seven-under on a soggy day. He trails leader Rikard Karlberg by a single stroke heading into Friday.

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“I knew with the soft conditions they were going to try to tuck some pins,” Fowler said, according to PGATour.com. “It was going to be very scorable if you drove it in the fairways, and I was able to do that. Played very well tee-to-green and made things a lot easier from there. Stress-free round. Simple round.”

A statistical analysis of Fowler’s round confirms his personal assessment. He led the field with 17 greens in regulation, leading to plenty of birdie opportunities. While he ranked just 25th in putts per GIR, his relentless ball striking was enough to propel him forward.

Unfortunately, the lack of ShotLink data from Sheshan precludes the possibility of analyzing Fowler’s opening round from a strokes gained perspective. But if he can keep it up with his irons and improve his putting just a bit, he’ll be well on his way to a big win.

While he’s been one of the biggest names in golf for more than a half-decade, Fowler has always been a bit of an enigma. His talent is undeniable, but with just three PGA Tour victories over the course of seven seasons, most of them played with carte blanche status, many have criticized him as an underachiever.

Of course, his four major top fives in 2014 went a long way towards fueling the expectations monster. But just when it looked like he’d finally put his demons to rest by reeling off a three-win 2015 (including the European Tour’s Scottish Open), he uncorked a mediocre 2016 season, capping it with a victory drought that’s now nearing 10 months.

Can Fowler turn it around with a win at this week’s WGC? We’ll have our answer in just three short days. But if Thursday’s opening round serves as any indication, it looks like he’ll be in contention to the end.

Next: WGC-HSBC Champions: Key Takeaways from Day 1

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