Masters Tournament: Ranking the 2019 field’s best of the last decade
By Bill Felber
8: Rickie Fowler, -2.31
With the exception of a missed cut in 2016, Fowler has been a consistent presence – and occasional contender – at Augusta. He tied for fifth in 2014, and last year finished runner-up to Reed. Since 2014, he has finished 12th or better in four of his five Masters starts.
Fowler is one of those players his fans are perpetually watching on the assumption that he will win the next major on the schedule. He almost made it in 2018. In third place, five strokes behind Reed entering the final round and six behind through seven holes, he launched a late drive that included birdies on 12, 13, 15 and 16. Fowler left that 16th green just two strokes off the lead, and his birdie at 18 – good for a final 67 – closed him within one.
But Reed failed to succumb to the pressure, parring his final four holes to win by that one stroke. “I left it all out there. I made him earn it,” Fowler said afterward.
Rickie’s other legit Masters run occurred in 2014. He trailed Watson by two strokes through three rounds, but stumbled through Sunday’s final round in 73 and finished in a tie for fifth, six behind the champion.
The 2018 runner-up finish was Fowler’s third in a major. He has eight top 10s in majors overall.