Arranging the world’s best, Ricky Fowler spotlight and evaluating TPC Scottsdale – fried egg

A few notes:

Some people could handle the rise Rori macylroy yes Xander Shafelle Level after a dominant presentation of Pebble Beach. In the end, Xander is significantly more consistent than Rory in the last 14 months and won two (!) Main Championships last year. Since things are currently in, I consider McIlroy the second best player in the world. McIlroy has won two of his last three starts and has six top-five finishes in his last seven starts. Schefele, meanwhile, rules RibsS Will it be the same speed when it comes back into action? Even so, does he play at Rory at the moment? There is no disrespect for Xander, but at the moment I like McAlroy’s chances, especially with convenient distance settings like Torrey Pines or Quail Hollow.

Take place John RamS Given his unsuccessful performance in high-profile events in the last 12 months, he probably belongs to the level below where I placed it. However, a strong performance or two of Ram will immediately note that he is the second best player in the world. I cannot say the same about anyone else in the level below it. For the past six years, he has been a junneut and deserves some benefit from doubt, despite a poorly missed abbreviation in Dubai in his 2025 debut, the form of Ram leading to the masters will be one of the most intriguing storylines of 2025.

I know some of you think Justin Thomas belongs to this graph. His elite iron game has returned and he is in the mixture in three of his last five starts – three weak flights, though. However, while JT continues to hit wild photos and Struggling with Putter, I do not consider him as a strong threat to take down Major. He is too much responsibility to go to a triple, launched beyond the boundaries of each hole with problems in the game right now. A pair of inaccurate driving with an inconsistent puppy and a lot has to be fine to beat a large, deep field in four days.

More than you probably think Tyrell Hatton It is worth the place for this graph. The 33-year-old has won twice in his last five start and has been remarkably consistent in the last two years. However, I cannot ignore the bad main championship record. One top 10 finale in his last 19 major appearances? Give me Aberg over Hatton in the specialties this year.

Player’s spotlight: Ricky Fowler

Five Golfers in Sport History have ended in the top five of the four specialties in the same calendar year: Jack Niclaus (1971, 1973), Tiger Woods (2000, 2005), Brooks Coat (2019), Jordan Spiete (2015), and Ricky Fowler (2014). Four of these names have won at least three major championships. Fowler won zero.

At that time in 2014, Ricky was 25 years old, there was a victory at the PGA Tour under his belt and seemed positioned to deliver 10 plus years of high -level golf. A decade later, Ricky’s summary is easier than most would have foreseen. He remains without a big win in the championship, although he has nine PGA Tour and the DP World Tour Tour in his name, most of all the players’ championship in 2015. With regard to recent success, he has only one tour of a tour of 2020 – 20123 Rocket Mortgage Classic.

To date, Fowler has been within five shots of 54 holes in a large championship 12 times. Eleven of these tournaments happened in 2018 or earlier. The 12th copy was open from 2023 at Los Angeles Country Club, where Ricky is managed by Wyndham Clark, which enters Sunday and eventually finished the T-5. Rickie’s US Open 2023 is his only major championship after the 2021 Open, where he is within 10 shots of the 54 holes.

… Is it over?

Yes, probably. However, the beautiful thing about golf is that there is hope. Ricky is 36 years old. Legends of the game like Justin Rose, Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia showed the ability to compete in big stages in their 40s. Fowler may not be of their height or even particularly close, but he is still young enough to get involved in the talent we know about it lies inside. He also quietly plays quite well right now.

Ricky made the five start of the PGA Tour from last October. He won strokes from the Trinity in four of them and also received strokes when approaching four of them. With a better short game and insertion, a fowler could very well challenge the Shriners (T-23) or Amex (T-21). And he struggled in the Zozo Championship, ending three shots back to the winner in Solo Fourth.

For the almost overall foul career, his short game and placement are two of his largest strengths. We look forward to seeing a positive regression in these two categories.

So how do we think about Ricky? Is it overestimated? Or has public opinion decreased so much that it can be underestimated in this phase of your career?

This week he has to give us some information about his current state. I do not want to attach too much importance to a result, but it feels like a huge week for Ricky. He returns to TPC Scottsdale, one of his favorite PGA Tour stops, a tournament that has already won once and finished a runner up twice. If he puts on the stink, this is probably not a great sign of what is ahead of the rest of the year.

To make it clear, my expectations for fowler are low this year. His best golf is behind him and he hasn’t played a strong golf in big championships for a long time. However, this week? I do not expect it, but I would not shock to see Ricky breaks his first top 10 in a full -field event after the rocket in 2023.

A question sent to readers

Reader: What do you think about TPC Scottsdale? I have the feeling that they show only holes 16 and 17. I look at this tournament every year and I don’t know much of the holes outside 15-18. Any holes that you recommend to pay attention to this week?

Answer: I will probably answer your first question with a larger length in some way later this week or next Monday a fried egg newsletter, but I am a big TPC Scottsdale fan. Back Nine is a very good, funny professional golf test. The front nine mostly stinks, but in fact I really like the section of holes 3-5.

Let’s talk about the fourth PAR-3 hole because I suspect people don’t pay much attention to the fourth. I like how this hole plays when the pin is in the small pocket on the right side of the green. The rest of the PIN places are not so interesting, of course.

The fourth is inclined to play between 175 and 190 yards and is protected by two bunkers short and short to the right with another hopper located to the left of the green. There is a very significant slope of the right half of the green, so the pussy on the left to the right is fast – not lightning fast but fast.