May 6, 2012
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -
Former Oklahoma State standout Rickie Fowler logged his first career PGA Tour victory in dramatic fashion on Sunday, emerging victorious from a three-way playoff at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club.
Fowler fired a 3-under 69 to move to move to the top of the leaderboard at 274 through 72 holes. Joining the former All-American at 14-under par was Rory McIlroy and D.A. Points.
The trio headed back to the No. 18 tee to begin the sudden-death playoff. All three players found the fairway at the par-4 closing hole. From there, Points hit his approach well past the hole before recording a two-putt par, while McIlroy hit his second shot right of the flagstick. He also two-putted for his par. Fowler fired a wedge right at the flag that spun to rest four feet below the hole. The 2010 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year holed his putt for the victory-clinching birdie.
Fowler fell to four back after a three-putt bogey at the second hole, but rallied with birdies at the fifth, seventh and eighth holes. After posting a bogey at the ninth to turn at 1-under 35, Fowler birdied two of his next three before adding his sixth birdie of the day at the par-5 15th. A bogey at the 16th dropped Fowler back to 3-under for the day where he remained after closing with a pair of pars.
Fowler opened the event with a 6-under 66 on Thursday before posting a 72 during his second round. The Murrieta, Calif., native fired a 67 on Saturday to move back into contention before carding his closing 69.
With the win, Fowler pocketed $1,170, 000 as well as 500 FedEx Cup points. His winnings moved him from 56th to 11th on the 2012 PGA Tour Money List at $1,834,254. He also moved from 56th to 15th in the FedEx Cup standings with 856 total points. Former Cowboy Hunter Mahan still sits atop that list with 1,395 points.
