Rickie Fowler wins The Players

Report by Anand Datla

May 11, 2015: In recent times, Rickie Fowler has been panned by his fellow professionals for being one of the most over rated players in recent times. On Sunday though Fowler underlined why they may have been wide off the mark with a coming of age performance that shall be remembered for long. Fowler gained six shots over his final six holes to go 12-under, before waiting on the range for an imminent playoff.

Sergio Garcia, Kevin Kisner, Bill Haas, Kevin Na and Ben Martin were all in contention over the final stretch. Eventually though it was just Garcia and Kisner who wound up on 12-under to set off the first ever three hole playoff for the prestigious Players title. The event was previously decided on sudden death at the picturesque island green, before the format changed in 2013.

Even as TPC Sawgrass started to reverberate under the weight of some brilliant performances on Sunday and the ensuing tension, Fowler remained calm as a cucumber.

Garcia was eliminated first when he made three pars and Fowler and Kisner found birdies at the 17th hole. Going back to the 17th for a third time on Sunday, Kisner missed his birdie putt from 13 feet giving Fowler the opportunity to sign off with another birdie for the title.

“It’s amazing,” Fowler said. “We obviously look at this tournament as one of the biggest that we play up against the Majors. This is a special week.” It must be, for Fowler was far from being in the reckoning when he was 6-under through 12 holes, just even on the day.

But three birdies and an eagle in the final four holes thrust him right into the limelight and Fowler embraced the opportunity with a performance that shall be written into the golden leaves that decorate the history of this glorious event.

Incredibly, this is just the second win for Fowler on the PGA Tour. The previous one came at the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship, prompting his fellow professionals to question Fowler’s ability and place in the game. With a victory that guarantees him a place among the many legends who have won this title, Fowler has not just answered his critics, but shut them down with an emphatic thump.

“I was out of the tournament after 12 holes,” he acknowledged. But then he started scripting a legend that shall be retold many years from now and Fowler shall always remain the golfer who stormed from the back to take The Players Championship in 2015.