Electra smooth

With a driver in hand Rickie Fowler took his stance at the TPC Scottsdale Golf Course sporting an electric blue polo shirt, matching plaid trousers and shoes to top it off.

It's obvious the 21-year-old strives to be unique and noticed. But behind the bold colors that stirs up conversation there is a lot more to the recently admitted member of the Professional Golf Association.

For starters he's not an everyday golfer. He rides dirt bikes in his free time, he believes in the feel of golf rather than the mechanics, and the least obvious fact is that Fowler has Navajo blood that runs through his 5-feet-9, brown haired, hazel-eyed body.

"It's pretty cool because you don't find many people that are Navajo, Fowler said. "Let alone Japanese and Navajo."
The Murrieta, California native was born to a half Navajo and Japanese mother and an Anglo father.

Golf runs in his family, but just recreationally. His grandfather opened the doors to a sport not common to his Navajo heritage.

"I started playing when I was three, my grandpa, which he's married to my grandma who is Navajo, he's Japanese and he started playing golf at that same time and took me to the driving range," Fowler said.

"When I was three he took me that one time and that was it. I was off and running from there. I did everything on my own for the most part. My grandparents or parents didn't push me to do anything. They just took me if I wanted to go and if I didn't they didn't take me."

He said he started playing in tournaments when he was 4-and-a-half, in the 5 to 7 age groups in California. He and his parents had to convince many tournament organizers to let him play because he was very young but serious about the sport.

From the very day he stepped on the driving range with is grandfather Fowler said he was sold on the game.

"It couldn't be perfected. It was a hard sport. It's not a team sport, you can't blame anything on anyone else. Can't blame anything on your clubs, it's kind of just all you," Fowler said. "I've loved playing team events with golf but I've always been a little more to myself, not standoffish or anything. I was never a part of any particular group of kids growing up and I got along with everyone. Didn't hang out with certain people or anything, just sort of did my own thing. Kind of what I do on the golf course. My game's not like anyone else's really. I don't really dress like anyone else and I've just kind of always been my own person."

And he still is.

He's the young model-looking kid that's stealing the hearts of golfers, spectators and fans of all ages.

His bright, eye-catching style and clothing choice set him apart from the rest of the golf field, but his talent and skills are the biggest reasons as to why many in the golf world are taking a serious look at the recently turned pro golfer.

Fowler has coached himself for the most part over the last 18 years. He had a coach in high school but has recently taken on the journey into professional golf all on his own.

"He basically introduced me to the game, helped me out getting started really but I worked with a guy back home since I was seven mainly through high school. (He's an) older gentleman, he's in his 70s now, his name is Berry McDonald," Fowler explained. "Just at the driving range is where I grew up, I was never a member at the country club or anything, grew up in the driving range playing public golf courses, and so he really helped shape my game and helped me learn it on my own.

"We didn't use video cameras or anything. Very old school and traditional. Learning more of the game, the mental side, learning like old school stuff. Kind of more of the feel and no so mechanical. I've basically been on my own the last three or so years," Fowler said.

After graduating from high school with a state title Fowler was given a full ride golf scholarship to Oklahoma State University where he made bigger news than the tornados that pass through the state.

As a freshman, he won the Hogan Award, an award equivalent to football's Heisman Trophy, and was the first freshman to do so. He also went 7-1 in two Walker Cups, a major competition for top amateur golfers from all over the world.

Last May Fowler left OSU in hopes of making the PGA Tour. He applied and was accepted, since then he's made some big waves across golf course in the states.

After achieving his pro status and qualifying for his PGA Tour card, Fowler has since hired himself an agent and landed a sponsorship with Puma and Titleist. He also bought a condo in Las Vegas and started putting himself out there for the world to see and hear on radio shows and TV spots.

He also launched his new website: rickie-fowler.com.

He's also had some memorable performances on the course that are better than good for someone who just turned pro.

"Everything kind of combined to getting my PGA Tour card. I'd say that's the biggest thing (I've accomplished). I've played well in some tournaments, I've played in two U.S. Opens as an amateur. Probably the two Walker Cups, probably being able to have status. Having my PGA Tour card this year, earning that," he said of his list of achievements.

"I just love the game. When I was six or seven that was probably one of my goals to be a PGA Tour professional and I wanted to play golf for a living and play as a pro and even though I am out here playing for money now it's still the same game. I'm not worrying about all that stuff, I'm just basically trying to win. Same thing I was doing when I was five years old."

In his PGA debut he finished tied at 7 under in Las Vegas and tied at 2 under in the Scottsdale Frys Open.

In his latest achievement, Fowler took Scottsdale by storm once again at the 2010 Waste Management Phoenix Open where he took second, one stroke behind first place winner and fellow OSU Cowboy, Hunter Mahan.

Before a national television audience in Sunday's final round, Fowler was in serious contention to win the Phoenix Open up until his final putt on the 18 hole. Fowler finished the final round with a total score of 269, 15-under-par. He received his biggest payday ever as a pro as the tournament's runner-up champion with $648,000.

First place finisher Mahan shot a 268 total score and earned the champion's purse of $1,080,000.

It was a good a good performance for Fowler but as always he set expectations somewhat higher for himself. But that's all part of his character.

He's a humble athlete with a great deal of knowledge for the game. He values family and the opportunity he has been given to use his gift to play golf, wisely.

But for the most part he's still a 21-year-old optimist who has the world at his feet.

"I'm pretty laid back. I grew up riding and racing dirt bikes. So it's not exactly the typical golfer. I don't drink, I don't party, I have a good time hanging out with friends without drinking," he said. "My mom's basically like my manager, she travels with me quite a bit and my dad, he comes out a good amount of time. So I'm always with my family. They never pushed me to do anything they were just there for the support and to help me out anyway they could."

He has a younger sister named Taylor who has dabbled in golf and his mother's name is Lynn, and his father Rod.

They all know about his dream and endeavors but most of all they all support him.

With a new PGA card in hand Fowler has already set goals for the rest of the 2010 PGA Tour and for the year, and they're not easy goals.

"First goal is to play well enough to keep my card, which I'm off to a good start. Other than that put myself in contention like I had this week. I want to be in places where I can win tournaments and have a chance to, and third, and kind of an ultimate goal, is try and make the Ryder Cup team," he said.

But an overall goal for him is to get to a point where he can inspire today's youth, especially those of his Navajo heritage.

"I've gotten to be fairly close with Notah (Begaye III), we have that little connection like we're kind of like brothers out here in a way," Fowler said. "That's really what I'm here for, I know Notah gives a lot back. He tries to help out and I know we're working towards that in the future, hopefully fairly soon. I'm still kind of getting my feet wet out here."

He knows some information and history of where he comes from and visited his family on the Navajo reservation some time ago but remembers little of that experience.

"I know a bit. I know a little bit but not as much as my grandma knows. She's still in touch with everyone down there on the reservation and stuff, I have but I haven't been for awhile. I've been to Tuba City, I've been down there I think two or three times but I couldn't have been more than 10 years old so it's been awhile," he said. "I liked it down there it's pretty cool. Being able to go and hang out, it seems pretty relaxed down there.

"My grandma Jeanie (Tanaka), her maiden name is Yellowhair, she's the one that kind of educates me more on everything. She's from the Sage Brush Hill clan," Fowlere said. "They are my relatives but she's closer with a lot of the relates. Some are living else where in the states and some are living still down on the reservation."

He might not know a whole lot about his Navajo family but they know about him and soon enough the rest of the Navajo people and the world will know about the second Navajo professional golfer in the sport.

So the next time spectators take that second look at Fowler it might not be because of his flashy attire but because he's the young kid trying to make a name for himself and the Navajo people.

"I want to be someone like Notah, someone that the kids can look up to and hopefully get some more Navajos swinging some clubs," Fowler said with a proud smile.

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