AUGUSTA, Ga. _ Rickie Fowler is usually watching until the end.
Sometimes you see him. Sometimes you don't.
Fowler was there to watch Bubba Watson hit out of the pine straw off the 10th fairway to win the 2012 Masters in a playoff. If you didn't notice, he was with Ben Crane and Aaron Baddeley at the back left of the green. He has waited around to see friends Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas win tournaments with television cameras broadcasting his appearance.
Fowler mention Masters victories by Watson and Sergio Garcia last year on Monday before this eighth appearance at Augusta National.
"To be there to see some friends win. ... I would love to have my chance at it," Fowler said.
Consider it motivation.
Fowler's best finish at the Masters was a tie for fifth in 2014. He believes strongly he has the game to win here. He watches and waits.
"It's fun to see your friends win," Fowler said of his habit was watching until the end to offer his congratulations. "It's fun to see them play well. I want to beat my friends when they're playing well. Like you said, it is a motivation factor in a way. Seeing JT and Jordan and Bubba, seeing Sergio win here last year, it is fun to see.
"But it also is kind of a kick in the butt to get yourself to kind of keep pushing forward. And you want to be in that position and you want your buddies to, whether they decide to be there or not, it's kind of a nice bonus, a nice touch. But it's fun to have the bragging rights over your friends."
