For Ricky Fowler, it's been a long road to the winners' circle. Credit: Getty Images/Cliff Hawkins
Ricky Fowler seems confident about making his return to Team USA at this year's Ryder Cup after his first victory in four years confirmed his return from the desert.
Fowler, building on the results of his last group at the US Open last month, broke into the top 25 in the world by defeating 2021 Open champion Collin Morikawa and Canada's Adam Hadwin in a sudden death playoff at Rocket. Mortgage classic on Sunday.
The 34-year-old's previous win was 1,610 days ago, during which time he dropped to 185th in the world rankings as recently as last September.
However, his game developed in the right direction, and after two consecutive top 10 finishes at the Charles Schwab Challenge and at the Memorial, he narrowly missed the LA Country Club before finally crossing the line. . .
Fowler scored 68 points in the final round, which was his worst week in Detroit, but he pulled off the last one brilliantly, moving close to four feet to reach 24 points and qualify for the playoffs.
Fowler was lucky with the target in the sudden death hole, he cut it before he got the right to free fall, but his approach to 12 feet was absolute class. “It's hard to put it into words,” Fowler said as he hugged his 20-month-old daughter Maya on the 18th Lawn.
“Winning is great, but there is more to life. There were a lot of good things this year, so I knew it was just a matter of time. I had some tough weekends when I had a chance, but I didn't convert it at the US Open. This time I did it. Talor Gooch is another champion that needs attention for Ryder Cup selection.
On Sunday, the American won his own playoff by defeating compatriot Bryson DeChambeau. His $4 million triumph at LIV Valderrama was his third win of the season, and he's adamant that the stats should give him a realistic idea of making the Zack Johnson team, especially since last month's peace agreements between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian Sovereign Wealth Fund, which supports the LIV.
“When the merger was announced, I immediately thought, 'I wonder what this means for the Ryder Cup,'” Gooch said. “I think my game has shown that it is at least worthy of discussion. “Hey, the professional golf world has been in a crazy state for the past 365 days.
“I have always dreamed of participating in the Ryder Cup. Before deciding to come to LIV, Max Homa was one of my good PGA Tour buddies and we were talking about how my wife and I had our honeymoon in Italy and we were in Rome and he and his wife didn't could have their honeymoon in Italy.”
So the last couple of years we've always had conversations that we just need to join the team and get on with it.” Gooch is playing at the LIV at St Albans this week and believes he can put more pressure on Johnson. “It's out of my control, but the only thing I can control is playing good golf,” he said.
Daniel Hillier wins British Masters after stunning late streak
“I will continue to do so to the best of my ability.” In The Belfry, New Zealander Daniel Hillier admitted he was “overwhelmed” after making a stunning splash in points to claim his first DP World Tour title at the Betfred British Masters.
On the 15th, Hiller broke from 40 feet to win an eagle, birdied out of a fairway bunker the next, and then broke from 6 feet on the 17th in a brilliant final round of 66.
< p>This gave the 24-year-old 10 fewer wins overall, as well as a first prize of £468,000 and a spot in the Royal Liverpool Open later this month. Hillier, who started the day with three shots after a six-way draw, said: “I'm stunned. I think it will take me some time to process.
“At the beginning of the day, I didn’t feel anything at all. I was a bit uncomfortable with the driver, I didn't have many chances, but obviously I knew there were some chances.
“I didn’t think I would take them so well, but obviously enthusiastic. I definitely looked at the leaderboard and saw my name on there and thought about what it would be like to finish it, but it's actually all a little blurry.”
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