Rickie Fowler takes one-stroke lead into final round at Rocket Mortgage Classic
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Written by The Associated Press
DETROIT -- Rickie Fowler has put himself in a position to win a PGA TOUR title again.
He's hoping to take advantage for a change.
Fowler birdied six of his last eight holes Saturday to surge into the Rocket Mortgage Classic lead at 20 under, giving him another chance to end a four-year PGA TOUR victory drought.
Rickie Fowler spins approach tight to set up birdie at Rocket Mortgage
“I’m not scared to fail,” said Fowler, who had an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over Adam Hdwin at Detroit Golf Club. “I’ve dealt with plenty of that.”
Indeed.
Two weeks ago in Los Angeles in the U.S. Open, Fowler squandered a chance with a closing 75 in a fifth-place tie. And last week at the Travelers Championship, he shot a career-best 60 in the third round to contend and closed with a 69 to drop into a tie for 13th.
“Felt really good Sunday last week and just didn’t get anything going, didn’t get anything out of it,” Fowler said. “Sunday at the U.S. Open, timing got a little off."
The 34-year-old Fowler has led or shared the 54-hole lead 10 times on the PGA TOUR and has has converted the advantage into a championship just twice.
Fowler, who has never won a major, won the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open for his only victory in the last six years. He's making his 96th start since his last title, shooting to end the longest drought of his career and win for the sixth time on the PGA TOUR.
Rickie Fowler sinks 20-foot birdie putt at Rocket Mortgage
“Whether it happens (Sunday) or not, it’s going to happen here soon,” said Fowler, who has seven top-10 finishes this season and is No. 17 in the FedExCup standings. "I've been playing a lot of really good golf and been putting myself in good positions.
“This definitely won’t be the last.”
Hadwin had a season-low 63 to tie the tournament record.
“One of the hardest things in golf is to get out of your own way when things are going well,” he said. “I’ve been victim of that.”
Taylor Pendrith, who is also Canadian, was third at 18 under after a 67. The big hitter bogeyed two of his last four holes at Detroit Golf Club.
Hadwin is hoping to become the fifth player from Canada to win on the PGA TOUR this season.
Adam Hadwin's quality approach sets up eagle at Rocket Mortgage
“I certainly don’t want to be left behind,” he said. “It’s a pretty fun leaderboard right now with Taylor and I at the top on Canada Day.”
If Hadwin or Pendrith win the Rocket Mortgage Classic, it will mark the first time that five-plus players from outside the U.S. won on the PGA TOUR in one season since six Australians earned titles during the 2013-14 season.
Monday qualifier Peter Kuest (65) and Aaron Rai (68) were 17 under. Taylor Moore (69) was another stroke back with four other players, including Collin Morikawa, who shot a 67 for the second straight day.
Play was suspended for 1 hour, 42 minutes because of lightning in the area and the schedule for the final round was adjusted in the hopes of completing the final round with inclement weather in the forecast.
The leaders will tee off Sunday morning just before 9 a.m. -- about 5 hours before the original schedule -- and threesomes will start on both the front and back nine.