Rickie Fowler needed the kind of Thursday he had at Bethpage Black, and he needs three more days just like it to potentially earn one of eight automatic spots on the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
Fowler opened The Barclays with 4-under 67, leaving him a shot behind co-leaders Patrick Reed and Martin Laird after Round 1 of the playoff opener. Coming into the week ranked 12th in the points standings, some 366 points behind, of all people, Reed for the eighth spot.
A two-year process to make Davis Love III’s American team comes down to this week.
“That’s the No. 1 priority coming into the year,” Fowler said. “I’d say that’s always one of the main goals for sure coming into a Ryder Cup year.”
After a lackluster showing at the men’s Olympic golf tournament, which didn’t offer Ryder Cup points, Fowler added the Wyndham Championship in hoping of stacking some points that might land him on the team or make the task this week easier. A T-22 effort in Greensboro, N.C., didn’t help his standing.
The math this week, which marks the end of automatic qualifying, isn’t all that simple, but the minimum standard is clear. At 1 point per $ 1,000 earned this week, Fowler needs at least $ 366,000. At a minimum, Fowler needs to finish alone in fourth place — and that’s if Reed tumbles and misses the cut. That’s a lot of pressure.
“I’m thinking about it,” Fowler said. “The other guys are thinking about it. So if it’s even on your mind at all, not that it’s pressure in a way, but it’s more to think about.”
Even if Fowler comes up short this week on points, he can still do enough to impress Love and earn one of four captain’s picks to round out the team. Putting together four rounds would be a good start.
“I think the Ryder Cup speaks for itself. It’s the greatest team event we have. It’s arguably the best event we have all year, or every two years,” Fowler said. “It’s a special event and something I don’t want to miss out on.”
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
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