UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. — Major Force? Maybe the past six times he teed it up, but not Thursday.
Instead, Rickie Fowler was Major Shock.
On a day when Fox announcer Tim Brando uttered words you might never have expected to hear in regards to Tiger Woods — “He has a chance to break 80” — Fowler was even worse. Stunningly so.
Though it is Woods who still packs the aura, who attracts the media attention, who owns the unmatched resume — which is why his opening round of 80 in the 115th U.S. Open left people shaking their heads — it is Fowler who has been second to only Rory McIlroy when it comes to the major championships.