A year ago Rickie Fowler blew away the notion that he was overrated with his victory at The Players Championship. Now, 12 months later, he’s won three more tournaments in three different countries.
The world number five heads to TPC Sawgrass fresh off a tied-fourth finish at Quail Hollow last week and has six PGA Tour top-10s this year.
No player has successfully defended at The Players Championship, but Fowler is in good shape to break the mould. He was tied-second at TPC Sawgrass in 2012 and has a rich history of success at the championship layout.
The world’s top 20 will all compete this week, but the Puma-clad Oklahoma local will be confident that he can win for a second time in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Last year on the stretch he was five shots back with six holes to play, but went birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie to set up a three-hole playoff with Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner.
Fowler birdied the 17th three times on Sunday, repetitively sticking it close at the iconic par-three. Kisner held on for a hole longer than Garcia, but neither play could match Fowler’s approaches to the island green.
As defending champion he’ll be full of good memories around TPC Sawgrass, and will surely be in the mix come Sunday.
