Rickie Renaissance: Fowler Bags First Win Since 2019 at Rocket Mortgage Classic

Winning on the PGA Tour is never easy. That's especially been the case for Rickie Fowler in recent years. The popular fan favorite has spent the better part of the last three years trapped in golf's wilderness.

A longtime major championship contender that was ranked as high as No. 4 in the Official World Golf Rankings in 2016, the 34-year-old had plummeted all the way to 185th in the OWGR last September. Fowler's extended slump included a swing overhaul, two different coaches, and a caddie change. A reunion with his former swing coach Butch Harmon late last year led to noticeable improvements in Fowler's swing and better results soon followed. Encouraging outings during 2022's swing season led to consistency in 2023.

In 15 starts this year, the Oklahoma State product has recorded 12 top-20 finishes while ranking near the top of the PGA Tour in all-important Tee-to-Green statistics. Fowler's steady climb back to relevancy was on full display at last month's U.S. Open, where he tied a major championship single-round scoring record with an opening 62 at Los Angeles Country Club, but eventually came up short in the final round. Despite that recent disappointment, Fowler bounced back to play well at last week's Travelers Championship and carried positive momentum into the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club.

Rickie Fowler Ends Winless Streak at Rocket Mortgage Classic

Unleashing a birdie barrage on a rain-softened Detroit Golf Club layout with weather that forced Sunday's final-round tee times to be moved up, Fowler found himself at 23-under par with one hole to go. He trailed both Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin on the leaderboard, but was able to birdie the 72nd hole of the tournament to force a sudden-death playoff with Morikawa and Hadwin.

Despite a poor tee shot on the first playoff hole, Fowler found himself with a clear view of the green from the right rough. He struck a beautiful recovery shot that landed 12-feet from the pin. With his playing partners both in with par, the 34-year-old confidently rolled in his lengthy birdie putt to win the playoff and the Rocket Mortgage Classic title.

When his final putt dropped, Fowler let out a huge sigh of relief while standing motionless for a few seconds. The popular player's four-year winless streak was over, as Fowler clinched his first victory since the 2019 WM Phoenix Open. With the Rocket Mortgage Classic win, Fowler earned a whopping paycheck of nearly $1.6 million and reestablished himself as one of the game's top players.

A champion once again 🏆

The winning moment for @RickieFowler @RocketClassic. pic.twitter.com/LEQ8f05gHN

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 2, 2023

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