Loser: Rickie Fowler hit a brick wall Sunday
Always mentioned among the best golfers to never win a major, Fowler had at least one top-five finish in each of the four majors entering the 2017 Masters.
Fowler was in prime position through three rounds to finally break through with a strong showing on Sunday. Unfortunately, his breakthrough didn’t happen. The 28-year-old absolutely hit a mental wall on the back nine Sunday, going four-over par in his final eight holes to finish outside the top 10.
Making matters worse, after Fowler scrounged up a birdie to get back to four-under par on the tournament, his final three holes went like this: Bogey, bogey, bogey. He and playing partner Jordan Spieth (more on him later) were seen as two of the top players to watch Sunday. But in the end, neither was able to live up to expectations.
No longer a particularly “young” golfer, Fowler is now a nine-year veteran of the PGA Tour. One wonders at this point if he’ll always be on the cusp or if he’ll finally break through with a major win at some point. Talent isn’t the issue, of that we’re quite certain. But it takes some stones to play your best on Sunday when the heat gets turned up, something Fowler has yet to prove he possesses.