Rickie Fowler Lips Out In Agonising US Open Qualifying

For the second consecutive year, Rickie Fowler will not be involved in the US Open after the American came agonisingly short at the sectional qualifier on Monday at The Club at Admiral's Cove.

Fowler entered US Open qualifying after a three-week stretch on the PGA Tour and felt that strain in the opening round as he limped to a 2-over par 73. The American however, bounced back with a 67 in the afternoon that included birdies on the 16th and 17th holes before his 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole lipped out.

Play was disrupted due to lightning shortly after Fowler had completed his round so he faced the agonising wait before learning his fate was sealed - the 33-year-old finished one shot outside of what would have been a playoff for the final spot in the US Open field. It was a similar story last year when he missed out by a single shot in Columbus, Ohio.

It is not all doom and gloom for the American after he returned in a playoff the following day to determine the first and second alternate. Fowler teed it up alongside Matthias Schwab, Tom Lewis, Steve Marino, Spencer Mellon and amateur Brett Roberts and birdied the fourth extra hole to cement his place as first alternate for the Jupiter site. 

The day belonged to Sean Jacklin, son of former US Open and Open champion, Tony Jacklin, and Ryan Gerard, who shared medallist honours. Fred Biondi and Keith Greene rounded out the four available spots from Admiral's Cove. 

After 41 straight Major appearances, Fowler will have missed four of the past seven. He has played in the US Open on twelve separate occasions, highlighted by a T2 finish in 2014 at Pinehurst No.2 - won by runaway champion, Martin Kaymer. 

Fowler has notched five PGA Tour victories, including the Players Championship, in his impressive career to date but has endured a torrid run of form in recent years. The American is without a win since the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open and has missed five cuts in twelve PGA Tour appearances this year. 

The 33-year-old's run of form has left him languishing at 145th in the Official World Golf Ranking, his worst since 2010.