For the first time since 2019, Rickie Fowler lifts a PGA Tour trophy.
Fowler, who came close to earning the first major win of his career at the 2023 US Open, defeated Adam Hadwin and Collin Morikawa in a playoff holeshot to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.
Unsurprisingly for someone who lost his swing for a while before getting it back, Fowler watched his putt go in, looked up to the sky and breathed a sigh of relief as the crowd around the green cheered.
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Rickie Fowler on the 14th hole during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on July 2, 2023 in Detroit. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
All three golfers were 24 under par when they finished their 72 holes, leading to the playoff hole at 18. Fowler’s approach shot allowed him a birdie opportunity, and after Hadwin and Morikawa failed to reach the cup , he knew he had a chance to finish it.
Fowler, who has been putting very well lately, had a sure shot. He fell from left to right and found the bottom of the hole.
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Fowler has always said, «I’m not afraid of failing,» because he’s hit rock bottom, been knocked out of tournaments in recent seasons and missed big appearances. That mindset, along with a reunion with swing coach Butch Harmon, has allowed him to swing freely and he’s been looking for flags from late 2022 through this year.
«Really, the main thing is to get back to playing golf and not swing too much,» Fowler told Fox News Digital before playing in the 2022 PGA Championship. «I’m still working on things that I knew I had to do, and Butch knew I had to do it too and be in better positions. But at the end of the day, keep your mind pretty free of wavering thoughts other than one or two key things to focus on. Overdo it a bit in practice so you don’t have to I have to think about it too much while playing, and that’s been one of the biggest things. Being able to go out and play golf and hit shots and not think too much about the golf swing.»
Rickie Fowler reacts to a missed putt during the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club on July 2, 2023. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
Fowler ended up being cut at the PGA Championship as Oak Hill Country Club was a problem for many other big names like Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm.
The 2023 US Open was an entirely different animal though, as he was tied for the lead with Wyndham Clark going into the final round on Sunday. Fowler couldn’t keep up as that first big win still alludes to him.
But you can bet he’s enjoying every second of the win in Detroit on Sunday as he can finally get some hardware back, realizing that all the hard work and persistence to get back to the top of golf has paid off.
This is Rickie Fowler’s seventh victory on the PGA Tour, his last coming at the Waste Management Phoenix Open on February 3, 2019. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
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This marks Fowler’s seventh PGA Tour victory, his last coming at the Waste Management Phoenix Open on February 3, 2019.