One for six.
That’s batting .167 in the major leagues.
It’s a 16.66 percent success rate.
That’s what Rickie Fowler’s done with 54-hole leads.
Good news is that one is better than none and Rickie’s “One” came last year, this time, at PGA National.
Rickie was blowing everyone away for 54 holes at the 2017 Honda Classic — 66-66-65. On Sunday he shot 71 but still won by four over Morgan Hoffman and ironically, Gary Woodland, the guy who ran him down two weeks ago at the Phoenix Open.
Fowler was looking like it would be two-for-six going into the final round at Phoenix. After all, he went out strong again for 54-holes. Shot 66-66-67. Then came Sunday’s 73 and an eventual tie for 11th. Yuck.
“He talked about putts not dropping,” said Rickie’s coach, Butch Harmon. “Which is true. But the fact he missed fairways (15th and 17th) is uncharacteristic, especially to the left. He got back into some of his old traits that we’ll have to clean up.”
After the collapse in Phoenix, Rickie simply said he’d: “Keep pushing.”
He’s pretty good at pushing at PGA National.
The course is a beast and it will eat your lunch if you don’t drive the ball really well.
Did you hear that Tiger Woods?
Rickie’s been off for two weeks since his breakdown in Phoenix. He should be more than ready to defend his title, this is a home game for him. He’s got his new $15 million pad just to the north on the Loxahatchee River.
Sweet digs.
Great place to rest up, get ready for what’s in front of him this week.
“This golf course, what it demands, what can happen out there, it was special to do that,” Fowler said of his finish last year. Still, he was fortunate enough to have a five-shot lead with two holes to play. It came in very handy.
At the 17th, the last hole of the notorious, difficult Bear Trap redesigned by Jack Nicklaus, Fowler went water-ball with his tee shot. Good way to blow a lesser lead but five shots gave him the huge comfort level he needed. He saved bogey at 17 then bogeyed 18 — still managed to win by four.
Rickie gets to sleep in on Thursday. His defense starts in the afternoon. He goes off the first tee with Patrick Reed and Kevin Kisner at 12:25, just in front of the group featuring Rory McIlroy along with Adam Scott and Paddy Harrington.
They’ll escape the morning chaos.
Tiger Woods will be up and at it early. He goes at 7:45, 10th tee. Patton Kizzire gets to play with him for the first time, they’ve thrown Brandt Snedeker into that oven as well. Good news is that at 7:45, it’s a bit too early for the fans to get juiced-up into an alcohol-fueled frenzy.
Rickie’s pal Justin Thomas goes in front of Woods at 7:35, paired with Daniel Berger and Sergio Garcia.
Surprisingly, the world’s No. 1 is sitting this one out. Dustin Johnson lives about 15 minutes from the course but he’s taking the week off.
Doesn’t matter.
The good news is that Tiger Woods will play back-to-back weeks.
The other good news is that Rickie Fowler likes this course, is well rested and maybe, just maybe, can close out another win.