World number nine Rickie Fowler wants to honour Arnold Palmer by winning the 2017 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
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Fowler reveals that travelling to Bay Hill to tell Palmer that he won’t be playing the 2016 event, due to his scheduling for the majors, was ‘one of the hardest things’ he ever did, and was never going to miss the 2017 edition following the passing of Palmer.
With many of the world’s best honouring Palmer with apparel and equipment changes, the ninth ranked golfer was happy that his sponsor Puma was able to get on board with his plans to honour ‘The King’ with the much spoken about special edition hi-tops.
‘So, to be back this year and for Puma to get on board and throw the umbrella on the chest and go front and center on the hat, I think it just shows you what he’s done, obviously, for the community of golf, golf around the world, the lives he’s touched on and off the golf course.
‘It’s not often you see tournament-wide, I mean and through other tournaments this week, you see a lot of people with the support of the foundation and I mean, like I said, put it on the chest, go front and center on the hat, I definitely wanted to do it, but I’m glad that Puma and the other sponsors out there have jumped on board with that.’
Fowler is eyeing a big week at Bay Hill, a course that suits his game after a number of good, but ultimately unsuccessful attempts at claiming the top prize.
‘To me, it’s a similar style of golf that we have actually played the last two tournaments for me, at Honda and at Mexico. It’s not too demanding off the tee as far as you’re not always having to hit drivers and it’s not too narrow.
‘There’s holes where you’re hitting 3-woods and potentially irons, but you do have to get the ball in the fairway. And it’s very much a second shot golf course. I’ve played well here, I’ve been in contention, like I talked about, won a junior tournament here, so I have had plenty of good rounds, I just need to piece four of them together.
‘The time I was in contention, Tiger went on to win, but it was still, that was one of my kind of favorite memories from here. I was able to hang at the bar with him and Arnold after that and just kind of share a late afternoon into the night with those guys.’
Asked how he feels at a run at the number one ranking, Fowler admits he has a long way to go.
‘There’s definitely a handful of wins that need to happen. I like where the game’s at, where it’s heading. I played well through the fall and kind of felt it kind of trending that way. I played well in Phoenix and then was able to get the win at Honda. So, no, it’s always a process out here. You’re always working on something. Always trying to tighten something up.
‘So it’s always a fine line. And you’re not going to play good every week.
‘So, no, like I said, I like where it’s at, like where it’s heading, especially with the Masters right around the corner and really that focus is just kind of continuing to play consistent golf, play well, focusing on the one week we have right now.’
Fowler knows he has a mountain to climb if he wants to sit atop the pile, a task made even more difficult by the form of current number one Dustin Johnson.
‘I’ve got a ways to catch Dustin out there and I don’t see him slowing down. So he’s going to be tough to catch.’
