No Fowl-up: Rickie’s right at home on links with solid display at Royal Down

The 26-year-old was thousands of miles from his luxurious home in sunny Jupiter, Florida. He was being swept by fierce showers blown in off the Irish Sea. One of his partners was the local hero and tournament host who happened to be going through a horrendous time, failing to break 80.

Every time Rory McIlroy dropped a shot, a fate that befell him on nine occasions, the massive crowd groaned in frustration. They cared only about Rory.

It hardly mattered that Rickie Fowler was coping admirably with the elements.