Rickie Fowler shot a five-under 67 and produced a bogey-free round as he gets to grips with new clubs, a new caddie and coach; Justin Lower carded a career-low nine-under 63 to take a two-shot lead over the field
Last Updated: 16/09/22 6:51am
Rickie Fowler played a bogey-free round and is four-shots behind the leader Justin Lower
Justin Lower carded a nine-under 63 to take a two-shot lead over the field, with Rickie Fowler enjoying day one success at the Fortinet Championship before day one was suspended due to darkness.
Lower, beginning his second PGA Tour season, concluded his career-low, 63 in the early evening at Silverado Resort and Spa.
He held a two-shot cushion over defending champion Max Homa and a three-shot lead over Byeong Hun An, SH Kim and JJ Spaun at the fog-delayed season opener.
Fowler, at the start of his 15th professional season, commenced with many changes from clubs and coach to caddie.
His last victory was the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open and he commenced well, shooting a five-under 67 and being among nine players who finished their rounds four shots behind Lower.
Fowler, who had a bogey-free round, has only four top-10 finishes in the past three seasons. He recently began using a new putter and this week is also using a new set of irons.
Once ranked as high as No. 4 in the world, Fowler is now 176th. With all of the new elements to his game, Fowler hopes to rekindle his career.
On the bag is friend and veteran PGA Tour caddie Ricky Romano. Butch Harmon, who has worked with Fowler in the past, replaced John Tillery, who was Fowler’s swing coach for the past three years.
“Yeah, I always like it when there’s a bogey-free round in there,” Fowler said. “For the most part, there wasn’t an issue today other than having to make a 15-footer when I hit it into the bunker. Other than that, it was a fairly simple day.”
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