CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When Rickie Fowler knocked his 200-yard approach on one of Quail Hollow Club’s infamous finishing holes a few feet from the flag, it was easy to be transported more than a decade into the past.

Back when the hair was a little longer, the Sunday garb was a single neon shade and the hats had flat brims. Fowler had a chance to win again at the venue where he earned his first PGA TOUR victory 14 years ago in a playoff over Rory McIlroy.

Unfortunately, he missed the 5-foot putt on No. 16 and then misjudged the wind on the final hole, thinking a little more atmospheric assistance could help his 7-iron shot sail toward the back hole location.

Fowler shot 65 on Sunday after a closing bogey, which left him two strokes behind the champion, Kristoffer Reitan. Fowler finished at 13-under 271 (74-63-69-65), an impressive finish after struggling with a sinus infection and fever in the first round.

Fowler’s score of 16-under 197 over the final three rounds at Quail Hollow was the best in the field by six shots. Reitan shot 10 under.

“A lot of really good stuff this week, especially with being a little under the weather and kind of starting a little behind,” Fowler said.

He was 11 shots off the lead after the opening round, but his 63 was Friday’s low round by four shots. He still was seven shots back entering Sunday. But only two players bettered his 65 (Sam Burns and Min Woo Lee both shot 64). This week also was the third consecutive top-10 finish for Fowler, who now finds himself 17th in the FedExCup standings.

Fowler was inspired watching his friend, Ken Roczen, win his first Supercross Championship on Saturday. The victory came nearly a decade after a career-threatening arm injury, and made Roczen the oldest first-time winner of the title.

Thoughts of joining Roczen in the winner’s circle this weekend started to feel like reality after Fowler made the turn in 30, including a birdie at the ninth after hitting a 250-yard approach shot to 4 feet. Fowler also birdied the par-5 10th before a bogey at No. 13. He responded with birdies on the next two holes, and would’ve reached 8-under for the round if he made his birdie putt at No. 16.

Fowler, 37, was seeking his seventh PGA TOUR victory and first since the 2023 Rocket Classic. The runner-up was still his best on TOUR since the 2022 Baycurrent Classic.

“I was thinking about (Roczen) a bunch there because coming from behind and just dealing with the grind of it,” Fowler said. “Luckily for us, if we miss a shot we don't have to worry about it too much. Those boys are dealing with injuries and all kinds of stuff. So thinking about all my buddies that ride and definitely makes it a lot calmer out there on the golf course for me.”

The only sting from mishits is emotional, and Fowler admitted that he was “bummed” after the close call. It was a 6-iron that Fowler knocked close at No. 16, and he also used that club to hit the green on the next hole. He was considering another 6-iron for his approach to the final green, but he and caddie Ricky Romano decided there was enough helping wind to hit 7-iron. His ball landed left and short of the hole location, and Fowler missed a 10-foot par putt.

“It's obviously pretty easy to go back,” Fowler said. He almost went all the way back to the beginning, rekindling memories of an earlier edition of himself and a career-defining week.