Fowler back home in Oklahoma still trying to find his form

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Rickie Fowler stood for practically 20 minutes answering nonetheless extra questions on his recreation and the way can he get it again to the place it was once when he was a pressure in golf and notably within the majors.

From time to time he’d cross his arms, or scratch his elbow, subconciously flashing the Olympic rings tattoo throughout his proper forearm.

That tattoo is a hyperlink again to 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, when Fowler represented the USA on the Olympics and was on the prime of his recreation in a three-year run that noticed him attain as excessive No. 4 on the earth. A zest for enjoyable (notice the tattoos), simple smile and breezy demeanor made Fowler probably the most fashionable gamers on tour

Eight years later, the now 33-year-old is three years faraway from his final victory heading into this week’s PGA Championship, and on the verge of falling out of the highest 150 on the earth for the primary time since his rookie 12 months in 2010,

There’s some comfort that he’s again “dwelling” in Oklahoma, the place the California native was a two-time faculty All-American at Oklahoma State and obtained to play the course at Southern Hills greater than a dozen instances.

“So excited concerning the week and yeah, anytime I get to be in Oklahoma, I really feel at dwelling,” Fowler mentioned.

Candy nostalgia solely lasts so lengthy. It gained’t discover the fairways or roll the putts.

Fowler has been looking out exhausting for the elusive solutions to the struggles which have left him far off the leaderboards of late. He says the struggles have been each psychological and bodily.

“It’s been so much longer street than we’ve wished it to be … I’m not making an attempt to be the identical as I used to be or something like that. I’m making an attempt to be greatest that I could be,” Fowler mentioned.

“I do know it’s there. It’s extra simply the boldness constructing proper now. The final couple of years, it’s been actually powerful to construct momentum, and momentum is de facto what builds confidence and you’ll sort of begin using that wave,” Fowler mentioned. “Yeah, there’s been no swell. I haven’t been in a position to journey something.”

Fowler’s final win was in 2019. However there was a time when he a pressure within the majors, eight top-five finishes, together with three as runner-up. His greatest end on the PGA Championship was third in 2014 when he was a risk in each main that 12 months.

The drop-off to the current has been dramatic. Fowler has only one top-10 end and 6 missed cuts in 13 occasions this season. The earlier two years noticed simply three extra top-10 finishes.

There have been a number of glints of the outdated type. He completed tied for eighth on the PGA Championship to earn his spot this 12 months. Just a few weeks in the past, he was tied for twenty first on the Wells Fargo Championship after lacking the minimize the earlier two tournaments.

Nonetheless, all that does is increase extra questions on why it doesn’t occur extra?

Fowler nonetheless solutions them with a smile. If he’s feeling the stress, he definitely doesn’t present it. And, he says, it’s not like its been horrible for him.

“I’ve truly loved it as a lot because it sucked. I’ve positively discovered myself. Not that I ever fell out of affection with the sport or something like that, however I’ve embraced the grind and the facet of simply taking on daily basis and going out and having fun with it, despite the fact that we’ve got been in powerful spots,” Fowler mentioned.

He talks of taking part in informal rounds with associates, or simply spending time along with his spouse and youngster.

“I like to only play and play for enjoyable, and generally it’s simply going and messing round with some buddies and not likely caring an excessive amount of what’s occurring or what you’re taking pictures, one thing like that,” Fowler mentioned.

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