AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) He’ s been trying his better to stay in the moment, something that hasn’ capital t always come easy for Rickie Fowler .
His friends have gained major championships, and he’ t celebrated with them, genuinely happy for his or her success. The sight of Fowler waiting by the 18th green in order to trade high-fives and hugs along with players like Bubba Watson plus Sergio Garcia is a familiar someone to golf fans.
Nevertheless he starts thinking about winning one particular himself, things often quickly proceed south.
That didn’ t happen on Saturday, whenever Fowler didn’ t make a bogey on his way to a 7-under sixty-five that put him in 3rd place in the Masters. Though he’ s five shots behind Meat Reed, only Rory McIlroy appears between him and the leader.
Close enough to start to consider just a little bit ahead, if only for the moment.
” Certainly it’ s been everyone’ t dream to win the Masters, ” Fowler said. ” Growing up, in order to have that chance to walk upward 18 with a chance to win or perhaps you have it closed out plus that’ s your walk in order to victory. We did a great work today of giving ourselves an opportunity for tomorrow. `’
The player everyone in golf appears to love is also the player many have got trouble figuring out. Fowler drives the particular ball long and straight, great touch with a putter can be marvelous.
Oh, and he gowns well, too.
Yet while Fowler has posted some wins and put up numbers in the eight years as a touring professional he hasn’ t been able to off a win in a main even though he’ s had their chances.
For that to improve on Sunday, his mind can’ t wander.
Not really at Augusta National, where each shot involves some sort of peril. Not really in this Masters, where Reed indicates no signs of folding and McIlroy is playing with the confidence of the guy trying to become just the 6th player to win the career Fantastic Slam.
” It’ s just a matter of your pet focusing a little better and getting their mind more set on what this individual wants to do instead of racing forward and thinking of winning the competition, ” his swing coach, Butch Harmon, said.
Fowler will tee off a group at the rear of the leaders Sunday afternoon, a posture he’ s more than familiar with. It had been in that group last year that he washed out on the back nine for an unsatisfactory final round 76, yet still put up around to congratulate Garcia in the breakthrough win.
It’ s not that he doesn’ big t know how to go low in a final circular – he shot 61 keep away from to come from behind and earn Tiger Woods’ s tournament – but that he hasn’ t had the opportunity to do it at the majors when it matters most.
” This past year, at times I may have gotten probably too defensive or too intense, and, you know, you learn from might move on, ” Fowler said. ” I mean, it wasn’ t the conclusion that I wanted last year; it would are nice to take advantage of the position i was in, making the turn in support of being a few back, but all of us didn’ t. ”
Fowler came to the Masters along with high hopes, despite fading having a pair of 73s on the weekend in order to fall from contention at the Houston Open. On the range Tuesday, he or she worked with Harmon fine tuning a few items but was happy with both his basketball striking and his putting.
Both were pure Saturday on the day when Fowler desperately required a low score to even consider winning the green jacket.
” If I didn’ big t put together a good round of golfing, then we weren’ t likely to have a shot, ” he mentioned.
The round has been helped by a par from out from the trees on the tough 11th, plus another par after putting the ball into the creek on Number 13. He was first in the field along with five strokes gained putting, plus relishes the chance to use the flat stay with come from behind in the final circular.
” Give me that will putter, ” Fowler said, ” and we’ ll go have a great time. ”
Confident delete word, it’ s still a high order. But , as Fowler reminded reporters afterward, he believes the axiom that the Masters doesn’ capital t really begin until the back 9 on Sunday.
At that time, he hopes to have cut to the lead. And then, history tells us, anything at all can happen.
The plan is definitely solid, and the putter is very hot. For Fowler, though, it nevertheless all revolves around staying in the minute.
Hard not to dream of what might be.
Plus hard not to root for a fine guy to finish first.
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Bernard Dahlberg is a national sports writer for The Associated Press. Write in order to him at tdahlberg(at)ap. org or even http://twitter.com/timdahlberg
