Rickie Fowler details the swing adjustments that have led to his resurgence

It’s been a helluva comeback season for Rickie Fowler this yr, with the 34-year-old capturing his first PGA Tour victory in nearly four and a half years on the Rocket Mortgage Traditional.

Whereas everybody within the golf world appears genuinely happy for what Fowler’s doingthe participant himself is handing out credit score the place it’s due, understanding that his latest turnaround shouldn’t be all on him.

Look no additional than his winner’s press convention from the Rocker Mortgage Traditional, the place Fowler praised his coach (the legendary Butch Harmon), and mentioned what makes Harmon so totally different.

“He’s the very best golf coach on the market,” Fowler mentioned. “He does an excellent job with gamers, taking what they’ve and, in the end, making them the very best that they are often with who they’re and the way they swing and making what they do nicely that a lot better and produce up the weaknesses.”

How Harmon adjusted Fowler’s swing

With eight top-10s this season, Fowler’s comeback has been a end result of laborious work, dedication and perseverance. Whether or not he’ll admit to ever dropping confidence or not, he by no means misplaced that aggressive drive — which is what helped lead him to Harmon within the first place.

Throughout a latest interview along with his buddy Smylie Kaufman on The Smylie PresentFowler broke down some swing changes that Harmon started to implement, which, in flip, utterly modified Fowler’s recreation.

“I imply, the largest step was after I obtained a bit of time to speak with Butch and begin engaged on some stuff earlier than Napa (Fortinet Championship),” Fowler mentioned.

“And I went out to Napa feeling, I wouldn’t say uncomfortable, however I didn’t really feel snug with the place the swing was and the way it felt, as a result of it was fairly overseas and new. And I simply went there and continued to belief and exaggerate as a lot as I might whereas really taking part in.”

As Fowler approached the event in Napa (the Fortinet Championship), he admitted to Kaufman about how tough it was to regulate to the brand new swing.

“It’s one factor what you are able to do and exaggerate on the vary, however once you’re really out on the course it’s a bit of more durable to magnify,” he provides. “In order that week, seeing the photographs I used to be in a position to produce, how tight the traces have been.

“I believe that was clearly the primary massive step was seeing type of some outcomes and suggestions to mentally assist myself type of construct some confidence, momentum after which went from there.”

So what did Harmon do to assist clear up Fowler’s swing? It began with the takeaway.

“Some totally different feels right here or there however, in the end, cleansing up the takeaway to that type of first parallel,” he mentioned. “My tendency is [that] the membership will get outdoors the fingers. So from there, it’s laborious to maintain the membership out in entrance of you and have it in an excellent place on the prime. Quite a lot of occasions for me, it could be outdoors after which tip over so far as getting laid off.”

This outdated swing would go away Fowler feeling behind, which was an space that he felt snug in as a result of it was the best way he had all the time swung. However Harmon helped Fowler get right into a steeper angle, which, in the end, led to raised outcomes.

“Getting right into a steeper left arm aircraft and the membership being nearer to down the road on the prime, you understand, that felt very up and throughout the road.”

Placing the brand new swing to the check in Napa was powerful mentally for Fowler, however he mentioned he didn’t waver on trusting the brand new method.

“These ones with any hazards or OBs close by, it was like, OK, you’re going to belief this. You’re aiming right here hitting this shot, it’s going to really feel like I’m taking it again and we’re going manner out proper, however we’re simply going to belief this, and simply swing and let it go.”

You’ll be able to see among the changes Fowler made within the video under.

Whereas Harmon helped Fowler get his swing again on aircraft and restore his confidence, ultimately, the participant was the one who went out and executed the photographs. It’s an excellent reminder that the synergy between the instructor and scholar could make all of the distinction, and that constructing belief to see outcomes can result in decrease scores.

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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor