Honda Classic: Rickie Fowler Tanks in Saturday Round

Rickie Fowler needed to make a move on Saturday at the Honda Classic. He did just that but unfortunately for Fowler, it was a move in the wrong direction.

Fowler opened the event with an even-par round of 70 on Thursday. On Friday, he shot a 2-under par 68, leaving him in a tie for 31st place through 36 holes.

On Saturday, Fowler was hoping he could post a low number and move himself into position to contend on Sunday. And he got off to a decent start on moving day.

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Fowler parred the first and second holes to stay at 2-under par. Then, things started to go south.

He bogeyed the par-5 third hole after pulling his second shot into the rough. He bogeyed the par-4 fourth hole after another poor second shot. Suddenly, Fowler was back to even for the tournament.

Fowler missed the green with his tee shot on the par-3 fifth hole. He was unable to get up-and-down and suffered his third bogey in a row.

Then on the par-4 sixth hole, Fowler again hit a bad approach shot. This one was so bad that it ended up in the water. By the time he was done, Fowler carded a double-bogey six and was 5-over on his round through six holes. His week, at that point, was over.

Fowler did fight back. He parred the seventh and eighth holes, then birdied the ninth to close his front nine with a 4-over par 39.

He carried that momentum as he made the turn. Fowler birdied the par-4 10th hole to get back to 3-over par. Perhaps he could rally on the back nine to save his round.

Fowler parred the 11th and 12th holes to stay at 3-over. But on the par-4 13th, it was another poor second shot that led to a bogey.

He parred 14 but the 15th hole, the first of the “Bear Trap” holes, got Fowler. His tee shot went splash and he had to take a penalty and a drop. His third got him to the green, but he needed two putts to finish off his second double bogey of the day. Fowler dropped to 6-over par.

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After a par at 16, Fowler closed with bogeys at 17 and 18. That left him with a round of 78 and dropped him into a tie for 66th place. Of the players who made the cut, Fowler is only ahead of Bronson Burgoon, who also shot 78 on Saturday.

Fowler’s struggles continue and Saturday was another example of the fact that a player who was once a young star in the game is still trying to find his old magic.

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