Fowler battles to PGA win at Phoenix Open

Rickie Fowler has hung tough to fight back from blowing a big lead and a rules decision which cost him a shot to win the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open.

Rickie Fowler

Rickie Fowler has won the Phoenix Open for the first time. (AAP)

Rickie Fowler has held it together in a rollercoaster final round at the Phoenix Open to claim his fifth PGA Tour title.

The American squandered a five-shot lead on the back nine when he dropped four shots in two holes at a wet TPC Scottsdale.

After a double bogey on the fifth, Fowler's tribulations mounted when he chipped his third shot into the water on the par-4 11th.

He took a penalty drop and walked away to survey his next shot and could only watch on as his ball roll back into the hazard.

After a discussion with PGA Tour rules official Slugger White, he took another penalty drop and did remarkably well to chip to 15 feet and hole the putt for a bizarre triple-bogey seven.

It was no surprise that the 30-year-old bogeyed the next and found himself a shot behind Branden Grace, who had chipped in for eagle at the par-4 12th and birdied the 13th.

But Fowler drew level with a birdie on the 15th before Grace imploded by driving into the water on the driveable par-four 17th and making a bogey.

Fowler drove the green on the same hole and two-putted from 55 feet for a decisive birdie.

A par on the last gave Fowler a closing three-over 74 and a two-shot victory over Grace, with Justin Thomas a shot further back after a round of 72.

Starting the day in the top 10, Australian Cameron Smith carded a closing 72 to slide back seven spots to a tie for 15th at nine under.

"It was a bit of a rollercoaster but other than two holes I felt like it was a decent round of golf considering the conditions," Fowler told Sky Sports.

"I did a decent job of getting past the two holes which cost us five shots today.

"A bad break with the ball rolling back into the water but we moved on and that's what's nice about having a cushion after 54 holes, it allows you to make mistakes."

Fowler managed to close out his second win from seven attempts when leading after three rounds.

"At the end of the day winning is amazing but there are a lot bigger things in life," he said.


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Source: AAP



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