Rickie Fowler tumbled down the world golf rankings in recent years as he struggled to live up to the hype he built when he finished fifth or higher in all four majors in 2014. That's why, despite his name recognition, it was somewhat stunning to see him dominate Day 1 at the 2023 U.S. Open.
Fowler set a record for lowest U.S. Open round by shooting a 62, only to see Xander Schauffele join him with a 62 of his own. His 10 birdies were also a single-round U.S. Open record.
Why is Fowler having such a career turnaround? We might already know the answer, thanks to an equipment change he made at the start of the year.
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Here's what you need to know about Fowler's new putter, including his reason for the change and tweaks he made just before the U.S. Open.
Why is Rickie Fowler using a new putter?
Fowler began using a new putter at the start of 2023, and that has paid dividends. The reason for the switch was simple: Fowler wasn't getting the results he wanted with his previous putter.
"I’ve been, over the last few years, not putting how I’m used to, or how I want to, by any means," he told Pgatour.com earlier in 2023, adding that he believes the new putter frees him up to focus on other aspects of his game.
"I’m not changing stroke-wise or setup, not gripping anything differently than my normal length putter. I just feel like it’s, I don’t know, kind of helping me do some things, and I don’t have to think about it," Fowler said.
Fowler said he wasn't necessarily searching for a new putter, and the story behind the change backs that up. Fowler tried out the putter his caddie was using and asked to have something similar created for himself.
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On Thursday, Fowler told GolfWRX that he made tweaks involving the putter before the U.S. Open. Fowler said he loosened his grip a bit and took an eighth of an inch off altogether to avoid the putter getting in the way or clipping part of his clothing.
Clearly, it worked. Fowler's dominant first round included a U.S. Open-record 10 birdies, a sign of excellent putting.
What is Rickie Fowler's new putter?
Fowler is using a version of the Odyssey Versa Jailbird putter, "equipped with a SuperStroke Tour 3.0 17-inch grip, and 20-25 grams of lead tape on the sole," Callaway's PGA Tour representative Joe Toulon told Pgatour.com.
Fowler isn't the only golfer seeing success with the Odyssey Versa Jailbird in the early rounds of the U.S. Open. Wyndham Clark, who finished 6 under par on Thursday and moved up the leaderboard again Friday, is using the same type of putter.
Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark are sitting 1 and 3 at LACC using the same @odysseygolf O-Works Jailbird.
— Jonathan Wall (@jonathanrwall) June 16, 2023
Clark used Fowler’s during a money game and liked it enough to have a replica built. Fowler got the putter idea from caddie Ricky Romano.
The mallet is having a week. pic.twitter.com/ODmtigi2Qy
The new putter certainly has a unique look to it, from its black and white striped pattern to the modern design of the sole. Fowler used multiple putters in 2022, so the stability of using one putter has likely benefited his game as well.
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Rickie Fowler U.S. Open score
Fowler made history with his first round at the U.S. Open on Thursday. He posted the best round in the history of the event by shooting a 62. He was later joined by Schauffele, who also shot a 62.
MORE: Has Fowler ever won a major?
While there was still a long way to go at the end of Thursday's action, Fowler's share of the lead was meaningful, if only because it has been such a long journey back to success for the 34-year-old.
Fowler barely missed qualifying for the U.S. Open in 2022. After getting into the 2023 field, he used his stellar play Thursday to prove he still has plenty left in the tank.