2021 Travelers Championship: Rickie Fowler Has Awful Friday

Rickie Fowler fired a 1-under par 69 on Thursday in the first round of the 2021 Travelers Championship. He was inside the cut line before Friday’s round, looking to add to some recent good play.

Then came Friday. And all of the good feelings from Thursday went away in a hurry.

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Playing the back nine first, Fowler’s start was not bad. He parred the 10th, 11th and 12th holes to remain at 1-under for the tournament.

However, on the par-5 13th hole, Fowler ran into his first trouble of the day. He drove his ball way left and was forced to take a penalty. After taking a drop, Fowler’s third got him near the green and his fourth got him on, with a realistic chance at making par. But he missed a seven-foot par attempt, settling for a bogey.

Fowler bounced right back with a birdie on the par-4 14th hole, getting back to even par on the day and 1-under for the tournament. It was the start of an up-and-down sequence.

On the par-4 15th hole, Fowler attempted to drive the green but wound up in a greenside bunker. His second shot came up short and his third got him on the green, about seven feet away from the cup. But for the second time in three holes, Fowler missed a short par putt, settling for another bogey.

But like he did earlier, Fowler bounced back with a birdie on the par-3 16th hole. He hit the green, the drained a 20-foot birdie putt.

The round started to fall apart at the par-4 17th hole.

Fowler’s drive went into a fairway bunker. His second shot, from that bunker, went into the water. After taking a penalty and a drop, Fowler’s fourth shot got him on the green, about 15 feet from the cup. His bogey putt missed and Fowler tapped in for a double bogey six. He would par the 18th hole to finish his first nine with a 2-over par 37.

As he made the turn, things got worse for Fowler. He bogeyed the first hole to drop to 3-over for the round and 2-over for the tournament. He needed a rally to make the cut.

After a par on the second hole, Fowler’s fate was sealed on the third hole. There, he hit his drive in the right rough and his second shot missed the green to the right. His third got him on the green, but he was 20 feet from the cup.

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Fowler not only missed his par putt, he missed his bogey putt as well. He would settle for a double and his week was over.

He shot a 75 and won’t be around for a weekend. It’s a disappointing finish after a decent round on Thursday. That seems to be the case more often than not for Fowler these days.

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