Darren Riehl
LOS ANGELES – Xander Schavelli smiled at Ricky Fowler.
“I kept making a bird. I was like, ‘Second, second, second still.’ I was like — bastard!”
The two of them stood behind the interview area, and everything was done all day. Fowler wasn’t looking at the leaderboards. He was going ahead, making birdie after birdie after birdie, 10 birdies in all, part of a record-breaking run of eight under par. It wasn’t until the ninth hole, his 18th of the day, that he caught a glimpse of who joined him on the leaderboard.
“I looked up and saw you were seven and I was like… oh,” said Fowler.
Chaveli was chasing him the whole time. The two had opened up a gap on the rest of the field—by the end of the morning wave, they had outscored every other player by five shots—and Schauffele had been keeping tabs on Fowler’s scores.
“I’ve been peeping all day, baby!”
It was such a spectacle that the first two 62 shooters in US Open history took a look at it, sharing positive feedback. Better yet, it was a scene that showed us who the characters were. He showed us a thing about golf, too.
Over the years, Ricky Fowler has made a habit of continuing to congratulate his buddies as they come out of the 18th green on Sunday, celebrating their victory. This has earned him a measure of praise. But it also earned him some sarcasm, especially since his win total stalled while his award-winning friends’ win totals continued to climb.
Taking a step back, praising a guy for congratulating his friends is more of a sign of brain rot than anything else. It’s always been a credit to Fowler that he makes the effort even when his week ends with nothing short of a victory. Still, Fowler’s wait should be satisfying this It’s time for a completely different kind of congratulatory scene.
Fowler had left at 8:02 a.m. along with Jason Day and Justin Rose. He birdied his first hole, bogeyed his second, birdied his third and drove off. He beat his playing partners by 11 and 14 shots, respectively. After the round he signed his card and went through the media gauntlet and spent 15 minutes signing autographs in the adjacent fan area. And then He returned to the media where he stood and waited.
Schauffele started two groups behind, at 8:24, with John Rahm and Victor Hovland. While his margin of victory wasn’t as dramatic (Rahm and Hovland each shot a 69), Schauffele’s 62 equaled Fowler’s total, making him the sole holder of the US Open record by just 20 minutes. When he finished his last interview, Fowler was there waiting for him with a hug, a word of congratulation and a reminder to keep going. On Thursdays, you can reach out to all your friends; It’s not “until the end of the week, you really have to beat ’em.”
The scene (and the score) was a reminder that Fowler’s game is as good as it has been in years. He’s scored 11 top 20s in his last 15 starts (and just missed a single cut in that stretch). He climbed from outside the world’s top 150 to No. 45 entered that week. He’s found a new version of an ironclad for the elite and he’s found a new strike that looks really good too. He hasn’t won since 2019, but his return to the top spot on the podium has seemed increasingly inevitable in recent months.
The scene served as a reminder that Schauffele’s game is among the most consistent on the planet. Sure, the world number 6 hasn’t won since he stole two in a row last summer. But he also hasn’t missed an opponent since the 2022 Masters. He finished in the top 20 in the first two majors of the year. He has participated in basically every All-American Championship he has ever played in. And his game goes anywhere, because he’s good at every aspect of it.
The scenery was also a reminder of the simple joys of a good round of golf. No, you probably don’t know the feeling of shooting a par 62 in a major championship (unless you’re reading this, Branden Grace) but I’m sure you do know the height of 18 holes in total that exceeds your expectations. There is a sense of euphoria of accomplishment and a relief from the fact that you didn’t screw it up. And do you have a friend who also played well? This joy is double.
In his post-tour press conference Schavelli was asked about Fowler. The two live close to each other now; Schauffele moved to South Florida earlier this year, which means they’re both California transplants to Jupiter. They get to spend more time together as a result.
“Yeah, Rick is awesome,” said Schaffel. “He really might be one of the nicest guys around here. I mean it when I say it.” (Schauffele is often sarcastic enough that “really” and “I mean so” were necessary for clarification.)
“I couldn’t be happier for him to see him in good shape. Being in Florida a bit more now, I’ve played a few games with him, and he’s a pleasure to be around. It’s no surprise to see him shoot eight-under, too. I’m glad he’s able to He’s back in good form and can compete at a high level.”
There is always pressure as a leader in the first round to answer the important questions, about what ifs, even though the task is only a quarter of it completed. Fowler realized that. But he was happy to get out of the moment and think of the big picture, too. He remembers wearing Fred Couples’ clothes as a child. In the last decade, children were dressed like him.
“It was always my dream to play on the PGA Tour. Yes, win, but to play on the PGA Tour, and everything that came with that came with it,” he said.
“Yeah, if you were to tell me as a kid that I went out here and won a few times — yeah, I would gasp. But obviously being human and me and being here, I want more. That’s why we still cringe.”
Yelling straight into the history books. In good company too.