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Randall Mell

3Fowler gets another week of derring-do

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profileIconRANDALL MELL, Senior Writer, GolfChannel.com   Posted 10/19/2009, 12:18 PM EST

You can take the boy out of motocross, but you can’t take motocross out of the boy.

That’s pretty much what Oklahoma State coach Mike McGraw told me about Rickie Fowler when we spoke while watching Fowler at the Walker Cup last month. Fowler, an OSU standout, turned pro after the Walker Cup.

“Rickie brought a daredevil approach to golf,” McGraw said.

That’s part of the appeal of Fowler, whose birdie at the final hole Sunday earned him a top-10 finish in his first PGA Tour start as a pro at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Fowler had four rounds in the 60s to finish tied for seventh and earn his way into this week’s Frys.com Open. Fowler won’t have to use the sponsor’s exemption that had been awarded him.

McGraw said whatever lured Fowler to motocross has remained part of his DNA as a golfer. Fowler’s father, Rod, won the Baha 1000 on a four-wheeler in 1986 and had Rickie on a dirt bike when he was 3 and racing a few years later. Rod agrees with McGraw, that his son is challenged by the creative shot-making aspects of the game, that Rickie gets a similar thrill trying to pull off tough shots in golf that he got trying stunts on a dirt bike. McGraw said Rickie relished trying to hit escape shots that other players wouldn't risk.

“He almost feeds off trying to hit tough shots,” Rod said.

 

19
Oct

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  1. stub

    stub Said on 10/20/2009, at 12:25 PM EST

    “ Hey Macer..I don't think McGraw has ever watched Phil play..Maybe the kid is trying to be another lefty..You convinced about that Rookie of the Year thing?? ya know, 1 event does not a phnom make...STUB”

  2. macer

    macer Said on 10/20/2009, at 7:40 AM EST

    “Good luck to next year's Rookie of the Year (Hoggard's words). Macer”

  3. macer

    macer Said on 10/20/2009, at 6:29 AM EST

    “Creating stunts on a dirt bike and hitting challenging golf shots is a wonderful analogy. Mell has it right as a senior staff writer compared to the say-nothing Hoggard. Macer”