Rickie Fowler edged closer to a first Masters Tournament in three years after the American continued his recent resurgence with a share of 13th at the Players Championship, which saw him move up to 59th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
The five-time PGA Tour winner dropped to as low as 173rd last season as he struggled to get to grips with his game, with Fowler splitting with his swing coach and ditching caddy Joe Skovron in a bid to turn things around.
Since returning to the tutelage of Butch Harmon, who had overseen six of Fowler’s worldwide wins, the fan-favourite has enjoyed a welcome return to upper echelons of the game, making nine cuts from his last ten starts, including three top ten finishes to climb to the cusp of top 50.
What a finish from @RickieFowler 👀
He closes with a birdie on 18 after a ridiculous shot from the trees @THEPLAYERSChamp. pic.twitter.com/t5r4fKShE0
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 12, 2023
It marks quite a turnaround for the two-time DP World Tour winner, who had missed eight of 22 cuts last season and only qualified for one Major, finishing T23rd in the PGA Championship.
He was the 125th and last qualifier for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, only making it in after LIV Golf players were removed from the list.
“It was hard to watch him go from a perennial top-10 player in the world all the way to outside the top 150,” said Harmon.
“I think he’ll win this year. The game needs it.”
Fowler now turns his focus on qualifying for the Masters for the first time since 2020 having previously played his way in to the first Major of the season for ten straight years to start his career as a full-time PGA pro.
The 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the tournament will be exempt into the showdown at Augusta National, with Fowler expected to play the WGC Match Play in an attempt to make that all-important top 50.
If he isn’t in by after the final edition of the WGC Match Play, he will need to win the Valero Texas Open the following week to book his spot at Augusta.
