2021 3M Open: Rickie Fowler Shoots Best Round of Season
By Tim Letcher
Rickie Fowler has been less than spectacular this season on the PGA Tour. But on Thursday, in the first round of the 2021 3M Open, Fowler looked as good as he has in quite a while.
Fowler played a smart round of golf on Thursday. He took advantage of the course when he could and he was able to avoid any major mistakes. All of that added up to a really good day.
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He started on the back nine and immediately got things rolling. On the par-4 10th hole, Fowler drove it in the fairway, hit his approach to about six feet and made the birdie putt.
After a par on the 11th hole, Fowler struck again, this time on the par-5 12th hole. He hit the green in two and his eagle effort from about 25 feet just missed. He tapped in for his second birdie of the day.
He would par the 13th and 14th holes before going bird hunting again on the 15th hole. Again, it was a stellar approach shot that set up an easy birdie, moving Fowler to 3-under par.
Fowler would close his front nine with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole. That left him with a 4-under par 32.
He carried that momentum into his second nine.
Fowler birdied the first hole. Then he birdied the second. That was three birdies in a row and he was 6-under par on his round.
He would par the next three holes before another birdie. That one was on the par-5 sixth hole. Fowler moved to 7-under on his round.
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From there, play was halted due to lightning in the area. When play resumed, Fowler closed his round with three straight pars to shoot a 7-under par 64.
It was Fowler’s best score of the year, topping the 65 he shot on Sunday at the Open Championship. For a player in need of something big to happen this week, Thursday’s round was just what the doctor ordered.