The Loop

Watch the cart path-aided bomb that sparked Rickie Fowler's strong opening round in Greensboro

August 18, 2016

Rickie Fowler added this week's Wyndham Championship to his schedule with the hope of earning some last-minute Ryder Cup points. He wasn't making any type of a move on Thursday, though, until he got a fortuitous bounce off a cart path at Sedgefield Country Club.

After making par on his first 13 holes of the day, Fowler arrived at the par-5 fifth and pulled his tee shot. However, his golf ball missed the trees, hit cement, and launched straight forward and into some light rough. Check it out:

The announcer estimates the ball went 500 yards. The PGA Tour Twitter handle said 400. According to Shot Tracker, however, it "only" went 373 yards for the Olympian. More importantly, it left Fowler inside 150 yards for his second shot on the par 5. He missed the green, but got up and down from a bunker for his first birdie of the day. Fowler added two more birdies on his final two holes to post a bogey-free 67.

Fowler, who has had more missed cuts (four) than top 25s (three) since the Masters, entered this week at 12th on the Team USA Ryder Cup points. He only has through next week's Barclays to move into the top eight to automatically qualify. Fowler still needs three more good days in Greensboro to make up any ground, but one great bounce certainly won't hurt.