INTERNATIONAL NEWS - Rickie Fowler figures four top-five major finishes in 2014 plus a victory at the 2015 Players Championship signal he’s ready for the next step in golf winning a major title.
The 27-year-old American, considered among the best players who have not won a major, takes a huge confidence boost from his success in the past two seasons into Thursday’s opening round of the 80th Masters.
“I feel like the perfect storm, combine 2014 and 2015 together, equals winning a major, that’s the way I look at it.”
Fowler, known as much for flashy fashions as his shotmaking, produced a landmark 2014 campaign, sharing fifth at the Masters, second at the US and British Opens and third at the PGA Championship.
Only three other players have achieved top-five finishes in all four majors in the same year — Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and reigning US Open and Masters champion Jordan Spieth last year.
But among that fabulous foursome, Fowler was the only one who failed to win a major title in the run.
So he responded last year with a comeback win at the Players, took the European Tour’s Scottish Open in July and added the US PGA Deutsche Bank Championship last September and a European Tour title earlier this year at Abu Dhabi, one of five top-10 showings he has produced this year.
Fowler said winning titles has brought him more confidence than his major near-misses.
“Winning for sure,” Fowler said. “Obviously contending in majors and being up there in 2014 helped me have the confidence that I did when I was in contention and had the chances last year.
