Rickie Fowler scrambles his way to 68, just like Arnie might have done

ORLANDO, Fla. – It wasn’t so much what Rickie Fowler shot Thursday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard– he opened with a fine 4-under 68, one of the better rounds of the afternoon – it was more about how he arrived there.

Best description of his day would be this: Fowler found a way, which was a welcome discovery for him as he continues to build some momentum back to becoming the contender he was earlier in his career. Few people get to Bay Hill and channel Arnold Palmer quite as much as Fowler, who faithfully dons all the Arnie gear. As Fowler sprayed shots off the tee, Thursday was a day that he did everything but hitch up his pants before swinging.

“The last few days, I haven’t felt that good (with the swing),” Fowler said, “so it was nice to make some putts. I can take a little stress off myself (with the putter.) I’m happy – four under around this place is never a bad thing.”

No it isn’t. Thursday's conditions were rather benign, and still the average score was 72.18, with 22 players breaking 70. Fowler, 34, was loose with the driver, fighting through some misses to the right, and finally had to choke up an inch, like a batter with an 0-2 count, just to squeeze a few tee shots into the must-hit fairways at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. He hit only five fairways in all. That in turn made it difficult to hit the course’s unusually firm greens: Fowler was fortunate to reach 10 of 18 in regulation, and did well to make six birdies.

Ah, Rickie the fearless swashbuckler. He appeared to have enjoyed the battle, having made it through the type of ballstriking effort that the past few seasons would have added up to a 74 or 75. Fowler knows that if the wind kicks up the next few days and Bay Hill becomes its ornery, grumpy self, Fowler's experience will serve him well.

There are popular sayings by Palmer printed across banners that hang all through the course at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Next to the 10th tee, there is one showing Palmer that reads, “The road to success is always under construction.” Fowler knows that better than most. Perhaps he drew some inspiration from it, starting his second nine birdie-birdie, making a couple of putts in the 20-foot range. He needed only 24 putts on the day, and all told, he made nearly 132 feet of putts.

At 16, Bay Hill’s final golden birdie opportunity, Fowler rolled in a clutch 6-footer for 4. And he followed at the difficult par-3 17th where he faced a putt from 17 feet just to save par from a bunker. Bam! He poured it in.

Fowler credits pieces from coaches John Tillery (former) and Butch Harmon (current) for helping him build a swing with which he is feeling more and confident, Thursday’s scrappy round notwithstanding. After three seasons in which Fowler posted only four top-10 finishes in 60 starts, he is beginning to see better results. He was a runner-up in October to Keegan Bradley at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, and his last three starts all have resulted in top-20s, including a T11 at Farmers and a T10 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

After a couple of down years on the outside looking in – Fowler has finished 93rd or worse in the FedExCup Standings the past three seasons – he seems to be finding a rhythm and wants to be a factor at the big events, just as the five-time winner once was.

“After the previous three years, to be in a position where I’m actually building momentum and confidence ... “There was like maybe short spurts of that in the past, but now it just seems to kind of a little bit of a snowball effect.

“I’ve had some decent finishes. I know I am capable of going out and playing with anyone.”

Fowler has a great memory from the 2013 tournament at Arnie’s Place. A decade ago, a mop-haired Fowler was as paired in the final round across from Tiger Woods, who was chasing his eighth title at the event. Fowler hung for a while into the back nine until he tugged a 7-iron into the water at the par-5 16th. He slipped to 73 and tied for third, still his best showing in 11 previous starts.

Of course, Tiger got the victory across the line, as he always seemed to do at Bay Hill.

Afterward, Fowler, who was lucky enough to build a personal relationship with Palmer, joined Woods and Palmer in Bay Hill’s locker room, where they enjoyed a celebratory adult beverage together, and enjoyed laughs into the evening.

If Fowler, who last won in Phoenix four years ago, were to do something special this weekend, he already has an idea of what the celebration might look like:

“That's a memory that I'll always have,” Fowler said of that 2013 scene, “hanging with Arnie and TW there in the locker room. Be nice to be a little different, maybe this year or some year in the future, to be in there and have a drink and toast him (Palmer) up top.”

Would be nice.