FedEx Cup standings: Post-PLAYERS top ten breakdown
8. Rickie Fowler
1074 points, 10 events (avg. 107.4)
1 win, 4 top 10s
Last two weeks: DNP – Wells Fargo, T60 – THE PLAYERS
Rickie Fowler had a tough week at TPC Sawgrass, to put it lightly. My pick to win the whole thing, Fowler looked great early on, playing his opening nine at THE PLAYERS at four-under and going shot-for-shot with Jason Day. Unfortunately (for both of them), things kind of came unglued thereafter. Playing his final holes at 11-over-par and shooting a Sunday 79, Fowler could muster just a T-60 finish, good for a mere five FedEx Cup points.
There is a silver lining here for Fowler, and that’s his otherwise stellar performance so far in 2017. Now accustomed to his place as a contender in major championships, the 28-year-old has missed just two cuts in ten starts this year, with THE PLAYERS as his only finish outside the top-25. Everybody has an off week, and there’s no reason to look at Fowler’s most recent result as anything but that.
Based on Fowler’s 2016 schedule, we can realistically expect another seven or eight starts before the FedEx Cup Playoffs begin. Over the past couple of years, Fowler has improved his overall ball-striking. This year, he’s added deadly putting to the mix, ranking 11th on Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting and 10th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green. That’s the type of stuff that can win majors, and soon.