Rickie Fowler is just great for the game of golf. Brilliant at times and becoming consistently good with every passing tournament. His bright new Puma gear, highlighted this week with his white high top golf shoes that are sold out right around the world is fun to wear. He is quietly modest, but completely confident, kids and the old crowd alike all just love watching him play.
That is why he is in the UAE on a sponsors (HSBC) invitation. (the unofficial appearance fee for the world #1 is around $2m, that's what Jordan Spieth got), and that is another reason his one shot win at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship earlier this morning is so popular.
Now because Rickie won the Scottish Open last summer he is a member of the European Tour so he is not supposed to receive an appearance fee, so the first prize of 409,686 euros, or $442,399.43 US is probably not as valuable as the fact he is now officially the world #4 player right behind Spieth, Jason Day and McIlroy.
He had this to say afterwards "The goal right now with where my game's at, the best it's been this early in the season in my career, I'm working on getting ready for Augusta. And I'd like to have my shot at getting the Green Jacket there. The ultimate goal this year is to go win a Major and this is a step in the right direction for sure"
If you missed it this one came right down to the last green after Rickie had produced two brilliant shots to help him fend off late charges from young Belgian, Thomas Pieters, Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson to win his second European Tour title
He got off to a great start and held a three-shot lead at the turn but kind of stalled with seven straight pars while Rory came home in 31 and Stenson came back in 32 to sit one shot behind in the clubhouse.
The first game changing shot was a holed bunker shot at the eighth for an eagle right after he'd given up two bogey's.
He got off to a great start and held a three-shot lead at the turn but kind of stalled with seven straight pars while Rory came home in 31 and Stenson came back in 32 to sit one shot behind in the clubhouse.
The first game changing shot was a holed bunker shot at the eighth for an eagle right after he'd given up two bogey's.
McIlroy was six shots off the lead as he stood on the 12th tee and was having trouble finding the fairway, but he turned things around with birdies at the 12th and 13th, then followed a chip-in from the rough on the 16th and like the champion he is he signed off with another brilliant eagle on the 18th to put the pressure on Fowler.
Then came Rickie's second game changer, chipping from the rough on the right of the green on the 17th to get to -16 under and keep the hard charging Pieters in his rear view mirror. Pieters by the way left his eagle putt on 18, right on the lip!
The victory follows Fowler's triumph at last season's Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and makes him just the second American to win this event after Chris DiMarco, who won the title in 2006.
Then came Rickie's second game changer, chipping from the rough on the right of the green on the 17th to get to -16 under and keep the hard charging Pieters in his rear view mirror. Pieters by the way left his eagle putt on 18, right on the lip!
The victory follows Fowler's triumph at last season's Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and makes him just the second American to win this event after Chris DiMarco, who won the title in 2006.
It was another close call for Rory who had to make do with a T3 after finishing second here in four of the last five years, while Pieters missed out on a third European Tour title after claiming two wins in three weeks last summer.
Jordan Spieth didn't putt or play his best this week but still finished with a 68 to T5 -11 alongside Byeong-hun An, Alejandro Cañizares, Branden Grace, Joost Luiten and Marcel Siem.
Next week the tour moves to Qatar and neither Rory and Rickie or Jordan or Henrik will be there.
Jordan Spieth didn't putt or play his best this week but still finished with a 68 to T5 -11 alongside Byeong-hun An, Alejandro Cañizares, Branden Grace, Joost Luiten and Marcel Siem.
Next week the tour moves to Qatar and neither Rory and Rickie or Jordan or Henrik will be there.
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