Fowler back home in Oklahoma still trying to find his form

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Rickie Fowler stood for practically 20 minutes answering still more inquiries about his activity and how can he get it back to the place it applied to be when he was a pressure in golf and notably in the majors.

Each individual now and then he’d cross his arms, or scratch his elbow, subconciously flashing the Olympic rings tattoo throughout his proper forearm.

That tattoo is a connection back again to 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, when Fowler represented the United States at the Olympics and was at the major of his sport in a three-year run that saw him attain as high No. 4 in the earth. A zest for enjoyable (be aware the tattoos), effortless smile and breezy demeanor manufactured Fowler 1 of the most popular players on tour

8 decades later, the now 33-yr-aged is a few decades eradicated from his very last victory heading into this week’s PGA Championship, and on the verge of slipping out of the major 150 in the environment for the to start with time since his rookie 12 months in 2010,

There’s some consolation that he’s back “home” in Oklahoma, where by the California native was a two-time faculty All-American at Oklahoma Condition and acquired to participate in the class at Southern Hills far more than a dozen periods.

“So psyched about the week and yeah, at any time I get to be in Oklahoma, I really feel at household,” Fowler said.

Sweet nostalgia only lasts so long. It won’t discover the fairways or roll the putts.

Fowler has been looking tricky for the elusive solutions to the struggles that have still left him much off the leaderboards of late. He says the struggles have been both equally psychological and bodily.

“It’s been a great deal more time highway than we’ve required it to be … I’m not hoping to be the exact same as I was or anything like that. I’m striving to be ideal that I can be,” Fowler stated.

“I know it’s there. It’s a lot more just the self confidence setting up right now. The very last pair of years, it’s been definitely challenging to establish momentum, and momentum is actually what builds self esteem and you can type of get started riding that wave,” Fowler said. “Yeah, there is been no swell. I have not been equipped to trip just about anything.”

Fowler’s very last gain was in 2019. But there was a time when he a power in the majors, 8 top-five finishes, together with three as runner-up. His finest finish at the PGA Championship was third in 2014 when he was a menace in just about every big that 12 months.

The fall-off to the current has been extraordinary. Fowler has just one major-10 finish and six skipped cuts in 13 occasions this period. The prior two years observed just a few a lot more major-10 finishes.

There have been a couple flickers of the aged type. He completed tied for eighth at the PGA Championship to make his place this year. A number of weeks back, he was tied for 21st at the Wells Fargo Championship just after missing the minimize the preceding two tournaments.

Nonetheless, all that does is raise more issues about why it doesn’t materialize additional?

Fowler even now responses them with a smile. If he’s sensation the pressure, he absolutely doesn’t display it. And, he says, it’s not like its been horrible for him.

“I’ve truly appreciated it as a great deal as it sucked. I have definitely found myself. Not that I ever fell out of love with the match or just about anything like that, but I’ve embraced the grind and the facet of just using every single working day and going out and making the most of it, even although we have been in rough spots,” Fowler claimed.

He talks of taking part in casual rounds with pals, or just expending time with his wife and boy or girl.

“I appreciate to just engage in and perform for fun, and at times it’s just heading and messing close to with some buddies and not truly caring far too a great deal what is going on or what you are capturing, one thing like that,” Fowler mentioned.

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