Rickie Fowler has enjoyed a fantastic return to form in 2023, with the American claiming his first PGA Tour victory in seven years at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, as well as a number of fine results in Major championships.
Because of his fine play, Fowler has secured a spot on the US Ryder Cup side, with his preparation going well. How do we know this? Well, according to his coach, Butch Harmon, Fowler made 14 birdies at Medalist Golf Club, albeit from the front tees.
In an Instagram post, Harmon stated: "Had a great day with my brother Craig and Rickie at the Medalist. We came up with a new game for him . He had to play the way forward tees that we play from. Had to hit driver everywhere. No site lines and had to go over trees and not know where he was going on some holes . Well he made 14 birdies and 4 pars . Yes he is ready for the Ryder cup . WOW"
For those wondering, the gold tees at Medalist measure around 6,000 yards and play as a par 72. That 14 birdies equates to a 58, which is a number that is all to familiar with another American.
Back in August, Bryson DeChambeau produced a 58 at LIV Golf Greenbrier, with the 30-year-old revealing a handy trick that got him firing low. "When I was a junior, when I was 15, 16, (my junior coach) Mike Schy would tell me to go play the front tees and learn how to score, so I'd be driving it in these tight areas and getting up-and-down, and my wedge game got really good because of it as well as my putting because it was stressful."
Fowler celebrates his Rocket Mortgage Classic win
DeChambeau went on to add: "It's probably the best thing you can do when trying to learn how to score. You go up to the red tees and try and shoot sub-60 rounds, for a good aspiring junior golfer that's trying to be a professional golfer. You just go to the front tees, try and shoot under 60. If you can do that and you consistently are able to do that every single round you play, get in that comfortable mind of, okay, I'm 10, 11, 12-under, let's keep going, pedal to the metal, that gets you in a great mindset."
Going into the Ryder Cup, Fowler made 23 cuts in 25 starts with eight top 10s during the 2022-23 PGA Tour season. His fine play meant he finished in a tie for 16th in the season-long FedEx Cup, with Fowler enjoying one of his best seasons to date.
