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Golf Monthly
Golf Monthly
Sport
Andrew Wright

Rickie Fowler Ends PGA Tour Drought With Dramatic Playoff Win At Rocket Mortgage Classic

Rickie Fowler Collin Morikawa Adam Hadwin Rocket Mortgage Classic Taylor Pendrith Adam Schenk
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Rickie Fowler birdied the first playoff hole to win a dramatic Rocket Mortgage Classic and pick up his first PGA Tour title in more than four years.

Not since the 2019 WM Phoenix Open 1,610 days ago had Fowler tasted success but he ended his drought in style to take down Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin at Detroit Golf Club.

Since reuniting with Butch Harmon, the American has rediscovered some of his best form but had failed to turn that into a win, falling short at the US Open after taking a lead into the final round.

This was therefore an important Sunday for Fowler. He began the day one clear and extended his advantage with three birdies in his opening seven holes,  before a run of 10 straight pars left him playing catch-up to Hadwin and Morikawa, who set the clubhouse target at 24-under after a bogey-free 64. 

When the pressure was at its most intense, however, Fowler responded, firing an approach shot to three feet on 18 to set up a birdie that forced his way into the playoff. 

Sometimes to get over the line you need some good fortune and that's exactly what Fowler got as the trio returned to 18 with lightning incoming. A big right miss landed in the gallery but after taking relief left him with a good lie in the rough and a clear shot to the green.

He took advantage to turn the tables on his opponents before holing from 11 feet to confirm his return to the big time.

An emotional Fowler dedicated the win to his family on the 18th green.

"It's hard to really put into words," Fowler said. "Obviously a lot of good stuff this year and I've been playing some really good golf, so I knew it was just a matter of time with how I've been playing.

"I've had a couple of tough weekends where I've had a chance, you know at the US Open I didn't get it done, but at the end of the day getting to hang with [daughter] Maya and my wife, winning is great but there's a lot more to life than that." 

As well as a return to the winner’s circle and the $1.584 million first prize, Fowler is set to vault back into the world’s top 25, having fallen well outside the top 150 at his lowest ebb. 

Rocket Mortgage Classic Leaderboard 2023

*won in a playoff

  • -24 Fowler*
  • -24 Morikawa, Hadwin
  • -21 Moore, Glover, Kuest
  • -20 Schenk
  • -19 Lower

Hello and welcome

Welcome to live coverage from the final round of the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic. Sunday tee times at Detroit Golf Club have been moved up with inclement weather predicted for later in the day, so the leaders are out imminently.

Everyone is chasing Rickie Fowler, who goes in search of his first PGA Tour title since 2019. It promises to be a thriller on a mammoth Sunday of sport, so strap yourselves in!

Morikawa on the move

Morikawa has already reduced his arrears to three with a birdie at the first. Behind, the final group is out on the course, with Fowler on the green around 30 feet away.

Alongside, Hadwin and Pendrith have good chances at the first from inside 15ft.

Fowler maintains lead

It's pars at the first for the final group, meaning Fowler remains a shot clear of Hadwin.

Morikawa within two

A birdie at the third for Morikawa gets him to -18 and within two of Fowler. The leader is safely aboard the second green and will have a good chance to make his first birdie of the day.

Conditions on the course are very wet but there's no rain falling currently.

Bogey for Pendrith

The Canadian finds the second green in regulation but a costly three-putt drops him back to -17 and three behind Fowler. 

Fowler and Hadwin make pars to remain -20 and -19 respectively.

Birdie for Fowler

The Sky Sports coverage has begun, thankfully. In time to report a Rickie Fowler birdie as well. The American is now -21 and two clear of Hadwin.

How Malnati got to -17?

The PGA Tour Policy Board member has been busy recently off the course, and he's making moves on it today in Detroit. This birdie takes him to -17 and into a share of sixth place.

Hadwin cuts Fowler's lead to one

The Canadian curls in a tricky left-to-righter for his first birdie of the day on the fourth. He's up to -20 and just one behind Fowler, who makes from 4ft for par.

Brolleys up

The rain has arrived to add another layer of intrigue to this final round. Hopefully it stays light and doesn't cause any delays. Time will tell. 

Hadwin and Fowler safely find the green on the 165-yard par-3 fifth.

What a putt!

(Image credit: Getty Images)

What a time to hole a monster putt for Fowler. He pours it in for birdie from 46ft at the fifth to get to -22 and restore his two-shot lead.

Up ahead, Malnati makes another birdie and moves into a tie for third at -18.

How Rickie got to -22

This 46-footer got Rickie to -22 and two ahead.

Morikawa to -19

The two-time Major winner continues his assault up the leaderboard with another birdie on the par-5 seventh. He taps in to get to three-under for the round and -19 in total. He's three behind Fowler.

Schenk charging

Adam Schenk makes his fourth birdie in a row at the 10th to get to -19. He could cause an upset if he keeps this up.

Fowler is in decent shape in two on the par-5 seventh.

Another birdie for Morikawa

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Morikawa makes it back-to-back gains with a birdie at the eighth that gets him to -20. He's momentarily within two of the lead until Fowler converts from 6ft on the seventh to get to -23.

Hadwin and Pendrith also birdie the seventh to get to -21 and -18 respectively. 

Hole in one!!!

Brightening up a fairly miserable Detroit day, Max Homa makes a cracking hole-in-one on the par-3 15th, landing his tee shot beyond the hole and spinning it back into the middle of the cup. 

It gets Homa to -14 and into the top 25. 

Hadwin closes in on Fowler

Fowler can only manage a par on the eighth, leaving the door open for Hadwin from six feet. The Canadian steps through with a birdie to get to -22 and cut Fowler's lead to one.

Audi performance zone

For anyone watching the Sky Sports coverage, can you let me know if you've ever seen Simon Holmes in a different outfit. Starting to think he sleeps in black shoes, black trousers and a black jumper. 

Morikawa to -21

A brilliant wedge into the 10th leaves Morikawa around 6ft for birdie and he converts to get to -21 and within two of Fowler.

Fowler hits a stunning tee shot into the 212-yard par-3 ninth but can't get the 15-footer to drop. He'll take a one-shot lead into the back nine. It's well poised.

Huge par save for Morikawa

Morikawa comes up short on the long par-3 11th and hits a pretty poor chip to around 12ft. Trailing by two, he can't really afford to take a backwards step and doesn't, slotting the par putt to remain -21.

In the final group, Fowler lengthy birdie putt on 10 shaves the edge but stays above ground. Hadwin also makes par, so it's as they were going to 11.

Another birdie for Collin

Here comes Collin. Another pinpoint approach on the 12th leaves him about 10ft for his sixth birdie of the day and he makes it to get to -22. He's now just one behind Fowler, who is on the par-3 11th green but quite a distance away.

Homa in the house

Max Homa, who made a hole-in-one earlier in the day, closes with a par and a round of 67. He leads in the clubhouse at -15 and will take encouragement from that after back-to-back missed cuts.

Schenk to -20

The American two-putts the par-5 14th for birdie to get to -20 and within three of Fowler. He'll need a storming finish to challenge for the win but you never know.

On the DP World Tour...

A storming finish - a birdie and two eagles in his final four holes - earned New Zealand's Daniel Hillier his maiden DP World Tour title at the British Masters. What an effort.

Weather update

The rain is chucking down here but it's not bad enough to suspend play yet. Greens are mega slow, with Fowler coming up short with his birdie putt on 13. He is able to mop up for par, though, and stay -23.

He's still one clear of Hadwin and Morikawa with five holes to go. The par-5 14th is up next.

Double bogey takes Moore out of contention

Taylor Moore's slim hopes of winning end on the par-5 14th with a double-bogey. The American hit his third into the water and couldn't get up-and-down to salvage a bogey.

There's a serious hold-up on this hole, with players taking shelter while they wait.

Morikawa ties Fowler at the top

This is sensational from Morikawa. He zips a wedge back to around 10ft on the par-5 14th and coolly pours it in the front door for his seventh birdie of the day to join Fowler on -23. 

Fowler finds 14th in two

A superb drive and fairway wood gets Rickie Fowler onto the par-5 14th green in two, meaning he'll have a great chance to surge clear again having been caught by Morikawa.

Ahead, Morikawa cleans up well from 4ft for par on 15 and finds the fairway on 16. Hadwin is still in the mix at -22 but it looks like a three-way shoot-out for the title.

Fowler three-putts

Nerves are starting to show here. Fowler lags his 73-foot eagle putt to 4ft but pulls his birdie effort and misses a huge chance to retake the solo lead. He remains tied with Morikawa on -23 as he heads to the short par-3 15th.

Hadwin also failed to make birdie so sticks at -22. 

Three-way tie at the top

Hadwin holes from 15ft to get to join Fowler and Morikawa on -23. Rickie is up next on the same line but from a couple feet closer and can't get his to fall, meaning there are now three tied at the top with just three holes left.

Advantage Hadwin on 16

Fowler does well to muscle a nine-iron onto the 16th green from the thick, wet rough, but he's left with 60 feet for birdie.

From the fairway, Hadwin has far more control and takes advantage, flighting an iron shot into 19 feet.

Morikawa takes on par-5 17th in two

Morikawa launches a drive on the par-5 17th and takes on the green in two with a fairway wood. It's all over the flag but stops a fraction long of the green and looks to have nestled on the collar between the fringe and the rough. Could be a tricky up-and-down from there.

Pars for Fowler and Hadwin

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Fowler superbly lags his 60-foot birdie putt down to tap-in distance, meaning Hadwin has a putt to take the solo lead for the first time all day. He hits it well and it's tracking but it dives across the hole and misses left. 

The pair remain locked on -23 with Morikawa.

Morikawa hits the front

The two-time Major winner hits a great chip from the back of the 17th green down to about three feet and makes no mistake with the birdie putt. He takes the lead on his own on -24 as he heads to 18.

Birdie and 65 to finish for Glover

It's good to see Lucas Glover back in form. The 2009 US Open champion cleans up from 4ft at 18 for a birdie and a round of 65 to finish -21. 

Morikawa burns edge on 18, Fowler out of position

A good drive and iron shot into 18 leaves Morikawa a 20-footer for birdie and it looks set to fall but burns the edge on the high side. He drops to his knees but it won't change the result. He taps in for a brilliant 64 and sets the clubhouse target at -24.

On 17, Hadwin finds the par-5 green in two while Fowler is in the rough facing a tricky pitch shot. 

Hadwin birdies, Fowler pars

Hadwin cleans up from 4ft for a brilliant two-putt on the par-5 to join Morikawa on -23.

Fowler's pitch shot is lucky to bounce out the rough onto the fringe but he can't get his lengthy birdie putt to fall. He's now one behind and needs to birdie 18 to have any chance of winning for the first time in four years.

Kuest on a quest

This is a potentially huge Sunday for Peter Kuest, who Monday qualified for this event. He needs to finish in a two-way tie for fourth to secure Special Temporary Membership to the PGA Tour; he's currently in a three-way tie...

FOWLER!!!!!!

Fowler's tee shot narrowly avoids the hazard that runs up the left-hand side of 18 and he takes advantage, firing a laser-like iron shot from the semi rough to about 4ft. That was clutch.

Hadwin finds the rough off the tee and misses the green with his second, but he's not in bad shape in the first cut. A playoff looks likely but you never know...

Fowler makes, playoff time

Death, taxes and a PGA Tour event I'm covering going to a playoff. 

Hadwin chips to 4ft and makes the par putt to finish -24 and ensure we're going to a playoff. Can Rickie join them? Absolutely. He bangs it in the middle after an unbelievable second shot.

Fowler in trouble

Back to 18 we go. Morikawa is up first and pipes one down the middle. Fowler is next and he shells it well right and into the gallery. Hadwin joins Morikawa on the fairway.

Lightning isn't far away so it looks like we'll only have time for two extra holes.

Fowler hits a stunner

Rickie gets a huge break off the tee to pull a lie but boy does he make the most of it. From 184 yards he fizzes his approach to 11 feet.

Over to Hadwin and his approach lands close but it's loaded with spin and backs up some 20 feet away.

Morikawa goes aggressive and hits his approach over the green.

Amazingly, it's advantage Fowler.

FOWLER IS THE CHAMPION!

Hadwin hits a great putt but it just burns the edge on the left side. Morikawa is next from the thick rough and goes underneath it, leaving himself 7ft for par.

But it matters little as Rickie steps up and slots his birdie putt to win on the PGA Tour for the first time since 2019. He did it the hard way. Take a bow, Rickie Fowler.

The winning moment

Incredible scenes!

Thanks for joining

As ever, thanks for following along with us. It was a memorable day as one of the game's good guys returned to the winner's circle. We'll be back next week but until then, it's goodbye!

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