Rickie Fowler needed this.
The Honda Classic needed him, needed him to win, needed him to break that dreadful zero-for-four record of his when he slept on 54-hole leads.
Rickie needed his putter on the final nine Sunday at the Honda and it showed up, just when things were looking a bit grim for the 28-year-old who looks a lot younger, acts a lot younger and has had problems closing the deal.
After shooting 66-66-65, Rickie was looking invincible, but there was the ghost of oh-for-four hanging over him when he teed off on Sunday.
Things were looking pretty good for Rickie until Mr. Murphy showed up on the sixth tee box where Fowler promptly made his first mistake of the day. He pulled his tee shot badly. Water awaited and that’s where it went. Rickie took double and suddenly found himself two-over with Gary Woodland playing pretty well in front of him.
There was no challenge from playing partner Tyrrell Hatton, who looked uncomfortable at best for most of the final 18.
A birdie on eight then a bogey on nine left Rickie two-over at the turn and when Woodland birdied the 13th, Fowler’s lead was down to a shot with the oh-for-four record on everyone’s mind.
Two easy pars settled him down then came the big putts.
“My putter saved me,” Fowler would say afterward and that was an understatement.
At the par four 12th, Fowler rolled one in from 38 feet for birdie then at the par three 13th, he dropped one from 23 feet. His lead was back to three with new breathing room and the oh-for-four evaporating.
Fowler looked like he totally slammed the door with an incredible second shot into the long 16th that left him a three-footer for birdie and the lead was up to four. Cruise control.
But Mr. Murphy jumped out of the gallery again at the par three 17th — last hole of the dreaded “Bear Trap.” Fowler promptly drowned another golf ball but a splendid third shot from the drop area left him five feet for bogey and he made it. Up ahead, Woodland was going bogey-bogey to finish his day and blew solo second. In the process, he spotted Rickie a five-shot lead with one to play.
It was painfully evident that Fowler finally lost concentration when he stood over a 130-yard third shot into that final par five. He looked like a 10-handicapper when he pulled it into a greenside bunker then after Johnny Miller declared him “a great bunker player,” Rickie made him look foolish with a sand shot a 12-handicapper would pull off.
Two putts later Rickie finished with bogey, shot 71, missed tying the tournament record but 12-under par was good enough to crush the rest.
Mission accomplished.
“It was tough out there today,” Fowler reminded everyone as the wind showed up, blew up to 20 miles per hour and probably helped Fowler bring this one home. “I fought hard out there,” Rickie said with a smile. “The wind kept us on our toes.”
He thought back to 12 and 13 and declared: “If I don’t make those putts, we’ve got a pretty tight race.”
Fowler relished this win.
“It will help us chill out. I guess I can plan for Hawaii (Tournament of Champions) next year.”
Fowler said it takes the pressure off.
There’s always talk of Fowler being more style than substance, looks great but doesn’t play great and win enough.
This is his earliest season victory and maybe, just maybe, will set him up for a run in the majors like he had back in 2014.
“This is something we needed going into Augusta. I like the spot we’re at right now,” said Fowler, who cracked his way back into the world’s top 10.
Yes, he’s right. He needed this one, badly.
It was time to get rid of that oh-for-four nonsense.
