Last week Sports Illustrated conducted a poll consisting of PGA Tour professionals to determine who the most overrated golfer is. Rickie Fowler tied a fellow colleague with the largest percentage of the vote (24%), but it didn't take long for him to silence his critics.
Fowler defeated Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner in the first-ever three-hole playoff in Players Championship history. The three golfers - all of whom were tied at 12-under par after the final round - started on the TPC Sawgrass' par-5 16th to determine this year's winner. Fowler went par on 16, birdie on 17, par on 18 and birdie on 17 to capture the victory, which was the second of his career and first since 2012.
Garcia was eliminated after the second playoff hole when he made par after Fowler and Kisner birdied. The remaining two pared the 18th hole and then Fowler birdied the 17th hole for the fifth time this week to defeat Kisner. The 17th is TPC Sawgrass' signature hole - a 137-yard par 3 that features an island green and an astonishing scenic view. The 26-year-old put his tee shot within five feet of the pin and finally ended the back-and-forth between him and Kisner.
"Going into the playoff, it was almost like nothing to lose," Fowler said, via Rex Hoggard of GolfChannel.com. "I was out of the golf tournament through 12 holes today, and we managed to fight our way back in."
Fowler was down six strokes as he stepped onto the tee box of the par-3 13th and what ensued is now known to be the greatest finish in the 34-year history of TPC Sawgrass. His final round 67 was largely a product of his six-under par performance on the last six holes: birdie on 13, par on 14, birdie on 15, eagle on 16, birdie on 17 and birdie on 18, which forced the playoff. Through the first 12 holes of the day he was +1 and appeared to be on track to finish between 15th and 20th place.
Instead, he took home $1,800,000 in winnings and earned 600 FedEx Cup points with the victory.
Fowler had his breakout season in 2014 after winning PGA Rookie of the Year in 2010. He finished tied for second place in the U.S. Open and British Open, tied for third in the PGA Championship and tied for fifth in the Masters last year. He made a career-high $4.8 million, finished as the No. 10 golfer in the world and played on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. With yesterday's win he jumped from No. 13 in the Official World Golf Ranking to No. 9 - the highest of his career.
Overrated?
"I laughed at the poll," he said after the win. "But yeah, if there was any question, I think this right here answers anything you need to know."
Fowler made fun of the poll last week with the man who tied him in overrated votes, Ian Poulter.
.@IanJamesPoulter too bad we had to tie at 24%...wish one of us could have gotten 1 more vote to claim the title...I'd vote for you
— Rickie Fowler (@RickieFowlerPGA) May 7, 2015
Oh yeah, and this is his girlfriend, Alexis Randock.
Fowler probably isn't too concerned with the criticism of pundits and his colleagues.
