Rickie Fowler defends Tom Watson, looking forward to task force

Rickie Fowler thinks 2014 Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson has been unfairly derided after his 12 charges were handily defeated at Gleneagles in October.

“I thought Tom did a great job of talking to the guys,” Fowler said, according to The Telegraph. “He has been there plenty of times, and I enjoyed the time I got to spend with him. I respect him; he is a legend within the game. Some things may have gotten blown a little bit out of proportion. But obviously we didn’t play as well as we needed to in order to win.”

Phil Mickelson would be the first to disagree with that sentiment, making his displeasure with Watson’s style immediately after the Americans notched a third-consecutive loss in the biennial series. That’s an approach the more soft-spoken Fowler doesn’t endorse.

“The unfortunate part, I believe, is that stuff that happens in the team room should stay there,” Fowler said.

The two, however, will have an opportunity to shape the future of the American Ryder Cup approach in private as the 11-man task force assembled by the PGA of America to address the U.S. slump convenes soon, apparently as soon as December.

Fowler sees the task force not as overkill or overreaction, as it’s been painted by some, but as a chance to air ideas.

“Clearly, we want to win the Cup, and it is not as if there has been a lack of motivation or anything like that,” Fowler said. “It sucks losing. Everyone is aware of that and everyone wants to win.”

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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