Rickie Fowler in rivalry and comfy at The Open

Rickie Fowler took early benefit of his spot within the closing main of the yr by carding a 2-under par 69 after the primary spherical of The Open Championship at Royal Portrush on Thursday.

Fowler offset three bogeys with 5 birdies, together with going 2 beneath over his closing 4 holes to sit down in a tie for tenth place after 18 holes throughout a wet and very sluggish spherical.

“I feel simply not making an attempt to get too cute or try to do an excessive amount of, play somewhat bit conservative,” Fowler mentioned when requested how he offers with completely different situations all through a spherical at The Open. “Bogeys are OK at instances. You will get your self into bother fairly rapidly on the market when you perhaps try to do an excessive amount of.”

Fowler, 36, earned his method to Northern Eire this week with a top-10 end on the Memorial. He then opted to not come over early for the Scottish Open, deciding as a substitute to play within the John Deere Traditional, the place he tied for 18th.

As soon as a daily across the first web page of main leaderboards, simply being in attendance is now not a given for the world’s One hundred and tenth-ranked participant. Fowler didn’t earn a spot on the Masters or U.S. Open this yr and missed the lower on the PGA Championship.

Nevertheless, he has loved a few of his finest main success at The Open. Amongst Fowler’s 13 earlier begins was a tie for second at Royal Liverpool in 2014 and a tie for fifth at Royal St. George’s in 2011.

“I really like taking part in over right here. It is a fashion of golf I like to play,” he mentioned. “I do know I can compete in any fashion of golf, however particularly this.”

Fowler tied for sixth the final time The Open was held at Royal Portrush, carding a 66 on Saturday earlier than struggling to a final-round 74. Nonetheless, it is a course he feels very snug on — one thing he plans to reap the benefits of over the subsequent three days.

“It is a difficult golf course, relying on the place the wind’s at and how much climate we’ve got,” he mentioned. “It’s important to suppose your method round it and hit — execute nonetheless but in addition know when you possibly can perhaps play on the aggressive aspect or when you might want to sort of play conservative or simply keep sensible and take what the course provides you.

“Undoubtedly good to get off to a stable begin as a result of you possibly can take your self out of the match fairly rapidly Thursday with a poor spherical.”

–Discipline Degree Media