SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – After sputtering out of the gates in defense of his Waste Management Phoenix Open title, Rickie Fowler bounced back in a big way during the second round.
Fowler finally broke through last year at TPC Scottsdale, winning the event after a series of near-misses. But he appeared headed for his second missed cut in as many weeks after an opening-round 74, an afternoon that included seven bogeys. For perspective, he made only five bogeys or worse across 72 holes here last year en route to victory.
But rebounding from what he described as “kind of a fluke,” Fowler carded a 6-under 65 that featured a pair of eagles and ensured he would avoid missing the cut at this event for the first time since 2014.