A tale of woe involving Tiger Woods, this time at the US Open, rather overshadowed the more surprising struggles of one of his playing partners.
Rickie Fowler had arrived at Chambers Bay last month as one of the favourites for the second major of the year but departed after only 36 holes on an aggregate of 13-over par. Given the consistency so readily associated with Fowler on the big stage, added to his Players Championship success, this was curious stuff.
By the look of things there will be no lasting damage. Fowler’s Open Championship preparations continued apace with an opening round of 66, four-under par, at the Scottish Open. The amiable Californian is rightly of a mind to laugh off the blip which came before.
“I had forgotten about that until now,” said Fowler with a smile when the US Open rounds of 81 and 73 were raised. “Look, I mean, there is nothing you can really do about it. Things just start going the wrong way and you can’t fix it. You just have to accept it. It was unfortunate timing but these days come. There are other days when it goes the other way and you can’t miss the hole. So it is all kind of give and take. That’s the way life is, that’s the way golf is.”
Fowler’s intentions in East Lothian are clear – he is seeking to fine-tune his links game with next week’s Open in mind. Challenging for victory here, as Fowler readily admits, “wouldn’t hurt”.
He added: “It can only help you if you have a good, solid tournament. It can only help if you are piecing together good rounds, whether that is one or two or a whole tournament.
“Tiger was able to play well at the Greenbrier Classic last week and piece some things together for the Open. It can never hurt you to play well leading into a major.”
Jimmy Walker, a Ryder Cup team-mate of Fowler’s, signed for a 65. The Dane Thorbjorn Olesen, who has seen youthful progress offset by injury woes – including one incident where he fell from a camel in Dubai – surged to the top of the leaderboard with a seven-under 63. There was also a welcome return to form for Graeme McDowell, who has slipped outside of the world’s top 50 or the first time in five years because of a dismal 2015.
The Northern Irishman made bogey at his last two holes but still had cause to be content with a 66. McDowell later said his desire to implement technical change in search of improvement led to him forgetting some of the fundamentals which earlier made him a major champion.
“I am trying to get back to basics a bit,” McDowell said. “I’ve been searching a little bit, I’ll be the first to admit that. There’s been a lot of technique in my head. I simplified it today and hit the ball much more solidly than I have for a while. It has been a pretty lean year for me. Looking back at the schedule I’ve been playing, these golf courses are unforgiving when you look at your Bay Hills, Augustas and Chambers Bays.”
McDowell admitted to a sense of opportunity missed now that his injured compatriot, Rory McIlroy, will not appear next week at the Old Course. “I played there on Saturday and the first name that jumped into my mind was Rory,” McDowell said. “I really felt like he had a big shot next week.
“I sent him a text message, basically saying sorry to hear what’s going on. I wished him well. I didn’t want to interrogate him and ask ‘how bad is it?’ I wasn’t looking for the exclusive.
“Obviously he’ll be hugely disappointed not to be there. I really felt like the longer hitters could have a big chance next week. It’s going to be green and soft, at least by links standards.”
The Scottish Open’s defending champion Justin Rose, who was a late starter on day one, has a legitimate hope of retaining his title after matching the score of Fowler and Phil Mickelson.
Mickelson, who played alongside Rose, sits at one-under.
