Tour News
Finally, it’s Fowler
By James Dalthrop
GolfWRX Staff Writer
Since he turned pro in 2009, the golf world has been impatiently waiting for one of its young stars to capture his first PGA Tour win. On Sunday at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, golf fans all over the world rejoiced as 23-year-old Rickie Fowler captured his first Tour victory in electrifying fashion with a birdie on the most difficult hole, the par 4 18th, in a three-way playoff over the No. 1 ranked player in the world – Rory McIlroy – and D.A. Points. On the first playoff hole, Fowler hit a gap wedge from 133 yards, a full shot that left him four feet for the win. After Points and McIlroy missed birdie attempts, Fowler made the putt. Just twelve days before, he switched to putting with a left hand-low grip, a method he had not used since high school. The change worked.
“It’s kind of helping me get into a little bit better setup right now,” Fowler said. “A little bit more square instead of — sometimes I tend to get a little open, hips and shoulders, and just helping me get into a better position and working on getting the ball started on line, so it’s working right now.”
Fowler’s first PGA Tour win comes in his 67th start as a professional, his other professional win coming at the Korean Open in 2011. His rounds of 66-72-67-69 left him at 14-under in regulation and the final birdie finished the deal. Among his six birdies in the final round, a birdie on the par-5 15th gave him a key lead. Despite a bogey on No. 16, Points and McIlroy behind him bogeyed one of the closing two holes in succession, giving him a playoff opportunity. Fowler’s previous best finishes on the PGA Tour were runner-up finishes at the 2010 Waste Management Phoenix Open and the 2010 Memorial Tournament.
“I would’ve liked (the win) to come sooner, but I knew it’s not easy to win out here on Tour,” he said. Fowler added, “Nice to finally have the first one out of the way.”
Fowler’s mother Lynne and girlfriend were on site for the win. Fowler, a captain’s pick in the 2010 Ryder Cup, improves to seventh on this year’s Ryder Cup points list with the win. One of Fowler’s more famous moments in golf was winning a half-point in those matches by making birdies on his last four holes, winning each one. With his win, only one player has won the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Golf Club who did not represent his country on a Presidents or Ryder Cup team. Joey Sindelar remains that lone ranger, a champion in 2004 over Aaron Oberholser.
Fowler’s popularity is already rivaling some of the most polarizing figures in the game thanks to his style and personality. This was evidenced by his large support of congratulatory figures on social media such as Twitter on Sunday night. Fowler’s line of PUMA merchandise is already a regular sight on fans at PGA TOUR events as well. Fowler sported an orange outfit as tribute to his Oklahoma State University Cowboys, as he usually does on Sunday, including a white belt, flat-billed white hat, and white shoes. Most notably, he also made sure to keep a “Leuk the duck” pin in support of Leukemia-stricken PGA TOUR member Jarrod Lyle on the forefront of his cap throughout the day. Originally from outside San Diego in Murrieta, Calif., Fowler returns close to his current home of Jupiter, Fla., this week to prepare for The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Click here for more discussion in the “Tour Talk” forum.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Players Championship
On the heels of Scottie Scheffler’s dominant victory at Bay Hill, the PGA Tour heads a little farther north in Florida to TPC Sawgrass this week for The Players Championship. And of course, GolfWRX is on site to get a look at what the players are playing.
We’ve already spotted a new Titleist mini driver this week, and there’s plenty more.
Check out our photos below!
Pullout Albums
- New Titleist 2 wood – 2024 The Players Championship
- Cam Young testing Titleist’s new 2-wood – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Hole Nos. 17 and 18 – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Toulon Small Batch Texas putter – 2024 The Players Championship
- Swag Golf custom headcovers – 2024 The Players Championship
- New Ping PLD staff bags – 2024 The Players Championship
- SuperStroke St. Patrick’s Day putter grip – 2024 The Players Championship
- Taylor Montgomery using PuttView X training goggles – 2024 The Players Championship
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
GolfWRX is on the ground in Orlando ahead of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge.
We’re assembling our usual collection of WITB photos, general galleries, and of course, gear inspired by the King himself.
We’ll continue to add to the photos below as more flow in from Florida.
General Albums
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #1
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #2
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Monday #3
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #1 (thanks, bvmagic!)
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #3 (bvmagic)
- 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational – Tuesday #2 (bvmagic)
WITB Albums
- Matt (LFG) Every – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Sahith Theegala – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Scottie Scheffler – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Luke List – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Taylor Moore – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- David Ford – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Pullout Albums
- New Cameron putters (and new “LD” grip) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New Bettinardi MB & CB irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Custom Bettinardi API putter cover – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Custom Swag API covers – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New Golf Pride Reverse Taper grips – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- New PXG putters – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Scottie Scheffler putter change – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Sepp Straka – shaft change to new Ventus blue – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Rickie Fowler’s new Cobra Darkspeed X driver and Denali shaft (and Radspeed 3-wood) – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Justin Rose testing Srixon Z Forged II irons – 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Cognizant Classic
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Cognizant Classic —FKA the Honda Classic.
The first leg of the PGA Tour’s traditional “Florida swing,” the Cognizant Classic continues to be contested at PGA National’s Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, host course of the 1983 Ryder Cup and 1987 PGA Championship. The course is known for its famed “Bear Trap,” a three-hole stretch of holes that take their name from Jack “The Golden Bear” Nicklaus, who redesigned the course in 2002.
The Bear Trap includes No. 15 (a par 3), No. 16 (a par 4), and No. 17 (a par 4). All three holes involve water and have led to several big numbers from Tour players over the years.
Check out an assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums below.
We’ll continue to update the galleries as more photos flow in from Florida!
General Albums
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #3
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Monday #4
- 2024 Cognizant Classic – Tuesday #1
WITB Albums
- Brandt Snedeker – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Max Greyserman – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Eric Cole – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Carl Yuan – WITb – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Russell Henley – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Justin Suh – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Alex Noren – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Shane Lowry – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Taylor Montgomery – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Jake Knapp (KnappTime_ltd) – WITB – – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Sam Ryder – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Maverick McNealy – WITB – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Tua Tagovailoa mini WITB (NFL QB, Miami Dolphins) – 2024 Cognizant Classic
Pullout Albums
- New Super Stoke Pistol Lock 1.0 & 2.0 grips – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- LA Golf new insert putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- New Garsen Quad Tour 15 grip – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- New Swag covers – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Jacob Bridgeman’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Bud Cauley’s custom Cameron putters – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Ryo Hisatsune’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Chris Kirk – new black Callaway Apex CB irons and a few Odyssey putters
- Alejandro Tosti’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
- Joohyung Tom Kim’s “new” center-shafted Scotty Cameron putter – 2024 Cognizant Classic
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Hector
May 6, 2012 at 9:51 pm
It was a great finale and Rickie didn’t choke. Great job and congrats on a great victory!