Rickie Fowler out to spoil Rory McIlroy party

Rickie Fowler could be speaking for the entire field when he says Rory McIlroy is the one to beat this week and also that no-one here at Augusta National is going to make it easy for the Masters favourite.

For all the appreciation of McIlroy’s achievements in being a Masters victory away from completing the set of four professional majors, there is a determination in Fowler and a host of young Americans to spoil the Irishman’s party and make a piece of history for themselves.

Fowler, 26, 21-year-old Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson, 30, have all come close to winning majors on a Sunday back nine but came up short. They each believe this year’s Masters could be their breakthrough major and they certainly have the games to make it so. All they have to do is get in the way of the world number one and what seems like his destiny.