Plaudits for new kid on the block, Fowler at British Open

With his long hair and keen youthful fashion sense, Fowler quickly became a dream vehicle for brand promotion, but he also makes sure to take a very serious approach to his golf.

SANDWICH – Going into this week’s British Open at Royal St George’s here, Rory McIlroy was by far the brightest new kid on the block, now he has company in the shape of Rickie Fowler.

The 22-year-old American may not have broken his tournament-win duck, but he gave a consummate display of links golf and his shot-making was second to none until the last few holes of a gruelling, wind-and-rain battered tournament.

He parred 13 holes in a row before a bogey on the par-five 14th effectively ended his challenge and he finally came in with a two over 72 for a level par total of 280.

Fowler said that his career could only benefit from the experience he had gained over the last four days grafting it out on the wind-swept Kent coastline.

“I haven’t really been in contention in a Major yet, so to do that here and to play two solid weeks in a row, and obviously a Major is a little bit different than a normal Tour event,” he said.

“So I am obviously pleased with where my game is right now and looking forward to getting on with the rest of the year,” he said.

Fowler, the son of a lorry driver from California, grew up near a driving range and it was there that he learned his golf before his talent allowed him to move into the US collegiate system.

With his long hair and keen youthful fashion sense, Fowler quickly became a dream vehicle for brand promotion, but he also makes sure to take a very serious approach to his golf.

This was in clear evidence last year when he made a successful Ryder Cup debut in Wales despite several voices being raised at his wildcard selection.

Fowler notably birdied the last four holes in his singles match to salvage a tie against Edoardo Molinari.

Now he has proved that he has what it takes to win a Major and his no-nonsense attitude during the week impressed many.

In the first three rounds he played with US Open champion McIlroy with the spotlight being firmly on the 22-year-old Ulsterman, who was being touted as the new superstar of golf following his eight-stroke win at Congressional.

But it was Fowler who stole the spotlight, especially on Saturday when the two young tyros went out in the worst of a storm-lashed day.

The American came in with a superb 68 to McIlroy’s 74, and by the end of the tournament he was seven strokes better off.

McIlroy headed for home bemoaning his bad luck with the weather, while for Fowler there were only positives to be taken from the week.

“I love playing links golf because I’m able to kind of show a little bit of my game, and hit some shots around the course that I don’t get to hit in the States a whole lot,” he said.

“It’s fun for me to be able to use my imagination and play the game a little bit differently and how it’s meant to be played over here.”

Next up for Fowler is winning his first tournament as a pro and a tilt at another Major in the US PGA in Atlanta in August.