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Rickie Fowler is two weeks into his PGA Tour career and by anybody's yard stick -- even one belonging to the guy with the big yacht -- things are going exceptionally well.
Fowler, only months removed from his sophomore year at Oklahoma State where he was the top-ranked player in both college and amateur golf, made his PGA Tour pro debut two weeks ago in Las Vegas by finishing seventh in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. On Sunday in Scottsdale, Ariz., he tied for second in the Frys.com Open, losing to Troy Matteson in a three-way playoff.
That means Fowler, playing on a pair of sponsor's exemptions, has made $553,700 in two tournament appearances. Not bad for a 20 year old.
Even better, it also means, although not a PGA Tour member, he is the equivalent of 136th on this season's money list, and with two events still remaining has time to reach the top 125 and earn exempt status for next season without going to qualifying school.
Since 1980 the only players to earned their way to the PGA Tour without facing qualifying are Gary Hallberg, Justin Leonard, Tiger Woods, Ryan Moore and Charles Howell III.
Not bad company.
Even if he falls short of that target, the special temporary membership earned by the current money-list standing allows Fowler to skip this week's first round of Q-school, and most likely will send him straight to the final stage.
"I knew I was capable of coming out and competing," Fowler said. "But to finish tied for seventh and then tied for first, and lose in a playoff ... pretty quick start."That's one way of putting it. Here's another. Fowler has yet to record a round outside of the 60s. He carded rounds of 67-64-69-68 (16-under) in Las Vegas before going 65-64-69-64 (18-under) at Scottsdale.
And another thing: Two weeks. Two tournaments. Two holes-in-one.
"My expectations were to have two fun weeks and play as well as I could," he said.
What's not to like so far?
No question Fowler brings game. He's feisty and aggressive, a personality trait likely earned in competitive motocross, a sport in which his father is a champion. He helped lead the U.S. to victory in this summer's Walker Cup, putting up a perfect 4-0 record in the match-play competition.
There's very little finesse to his attack, which goes well with a head of wild hair and a face that earns actor Leonardo DiCaprio comparisons.
Another sure sign there's something a little different about Fowler, he does not have a swing coach.
"I don't really have any coaches," he said. "I'm kind of my own thing. Yeah, I'm not the typical junior golfer or amateur golfer coming out these days. I don't have a swing coach, mental coach, all of those people following me around. Kind of me, my caddie and my parents."
Although it is wise not to rush to a conclusion of future greatness, Fowler's late-season arrival is a perfect tonic for the dog days of the tour schedule.
Plenty of others before him have revved up early expectations, only to sputter into the background. But Fowler is interesting.
"Right now, I'm gonna play Viking," he said of this week's tour stop in Madison, Miss. "The plans are still to go to Q School.
"I'm going in with the same game plan I did those last two. Seemed to work out pretty well, these last two weeks. So we'll see what happens next."
So far, there's good reason to watch.
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