Meet the NCAA Freshman of the Year who could make waves at Travelers

CROMWELL, Conn. – Much has changed in Rickie Fowler’s world in the last 15 years, but in case he had forgotten, he got a reminder from a photo in Don James’ camera.

It was a picture of a full-length Fowler poster that showed the five-time PGA TOUR winner in top-to-bottom orange, his long black hair flowing aimlessly beneath a wide-brim Puma hat. “Oh, yeah, I remember that look,” laughed Fowler, who at 34 sports a more polished, grown-up appearance these days.

Then again, things have changed dramatically for the kid who owned that poster, too. Ben James, Don’s son, was the one piping a drive into the middle of the fairway at the par-5 13th at TPC River Highlands during a practice round in advance of the Travelers Championship.

Nodding his approval at James’ powerful swing, Fowler proceeded to walk the fairway with a large entourage of family, friends and interested observers. On a quiet Tuesday afternoon, this was no ordinary practice round because while the poster was a cute connection, there was something more attractive about this practice pairing.

James – having recently been named the NCAA Outstanding Freshman of the Year after a superb, five-win campaign for the University of Virginia – has officially signed an NIL deal with Puma, so who better to be hanging with but Mr. Puma, Fowler.

That James is in the field as a sponsor exemption for the second straight year (he shot 72-69 but missed the cut by a couple) was an easy decision for Travelers officials, given that James is from Milford, Connecticut, 40 miles down the road.

That he’s an amateur who feels quite comfortable in a professional landscape that includes eight of the world’s top 10-ranked players is a testament to the era in which James is wielding his might. After all, he’s well aware of fellow collegian Michael Thorbjornsen finishing T4 in this tournament one year ago and when you start talking about the merits of PGA TOUR University, James’ eyes light up.

“It’s such a big incentive and you can see how great a deal it is already,” said James. He was referring to No. 3 in the final PGA TOUR University standings, Adrien Dumont de Chassart of the University of Illinois, and No. 9, Ricky Castillo, the former University of Florida standout.

All they have done the last two weeks while using Korn Ferry Tour spots that went to highly ranked PGA TOUR University graduates is win (Dumont de Chassart at the BMW Charity Pro-Am) and win (Castillo at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open, where de Chassart lost in a playoff).

Yes, playing with Rickie Fowler was a thrill, but James first wanted to gush about collegians racing out of the blocks. “They are such great people,” he said. “I’ve played a lot of golf with Ricky, and Adrien is one of the nice guys you could ever meet.”

Throw in the fact that Ludvig Aberg, No. 1 on the PGA TOUR University list, and Sam Bennett, who was No. 5, are both professionals and both in the field here, and James said it’s even more reason why he feels less nervous than he did a year ago. Yes, he feels comfortable among a good line of peers.

“I was nervous in my practice rounds a year ago,” said James. “But I’m more settled this year. I had never met Rickie so that’s great, but I’m just telling myself, ‘I’m just playing golf. It’s a game. Go play and count them up.’”

Yes, it was practice, but nothing that James did makes you think he can’t hold his own. He reached the par-5 13th in two, drove the devilish, short, par-4 15th, and pretty much played tidy golf.

Neither James nor Fowler said there was much golf talk for their nine-hole walk. “I watched the way he hit shots, the different shapes, like that low draw around the corner (at the par-4 14th). He hit a couple clubs I wouldn’t have, so I studied that,” said James.

When Fowler was in James’ shoes, back at the 2008 U.S. Open, for instance, when he was an amateur playing against so many professionals for the first time, “I had a similar mindset as he did,” said Fowler. “I didn’t necessarily ask questions. I learned by observing.”

What Dumont de Chassart and Castillo have done in back-to-back weeks, even if it was on the Korn Ferry Tour, resonates with Fowler. As does the way Bennett has finished T16 at the Masters and T43 at the U.S. Open and also made the cut at the Memorial and RBC Canadian Open.

“These guys have grown up with speed, which is the game now. They have been chasing it, developing it, and when you throw in proper fitting, it feels normal for them when they get out here,” said Fowler.

The only thing that wasn’t normal was the exit. Shaking hands at the 18th hole, Fowler shook hands, chatted with some friends, then went one way, toward a PGA TOUR players’ meeting.

James thanked Fowler for the great company, acknowledged the Puma folks in attendance, and headed in another direction. But you get the sense that PGA TOUR players’ meetings will be in his future.