Part of Rickie Fowler’s magic is he can turn a bogey into a highlight and set a record in the same breath, even when he’s not at the top of his game.
Fowler, back at the Wells Fargo Championship this week, the same tournament in which he secured his first PGA Tour win in 2012, opened his first round with five straight pars. However, he avoided a near-disaster at TPC Potomac’s par-4 sixth. Fowler lost his tee shot down the right side in the native area before taking a drop back at one of the forward tees. Yet again, he hit another ball into the native area and decided to chip it back into the fairway.
Now lying four and still 134 yards from the pin, you’d think Fowler was looking at a double bogey at best.
Nope.
Full-field scores from Wells Fargo Championship
On the next swing, Fowler holed it for bogey in what is, according to ShotLink, the longest-recorded holed bogey or worse by any player.
“Actually had a little bit of mud on the ball from hitting in the hazard and played it perfectly,” Fowler said. “It drifted right for me. I was just hoping to make 6 and get out of there, but 5 was a bonus.”
Fowler’s reaction was almost as good as the shot.
It wasn’t the only great shot of his day. An eagle on the par-4 14th was key in helping him finish 4-under 66 and T-8 after Round 1.
“There [were] a couple that were a little offline and cost me a little bit early in the round, but other than that, a lot of good stuff,” Fowler said after the round. “Definitely happy with today.”