This is my time, declares Rickie Fowler

Rickie Fowler came close at all four of last year’s major championships but now he is The Players champion, the American feels he is even better equipped to finally make his breakthrough at this week’s US Open.

The omens are good for the 26-year-old, whose last appearance was a tie for 30th finish in the Irish Open at Royal County Down a fortnight ago.

A runner-up in The Open last July at Royal Liverpool, Fowler has the nous to succeed at Chambers Bay this week on a course drawing comparisons with some of the great British and Irish links courses. What’s more, this year’s defending champion, Martin Kaymer, used his Players Championship victory in 2014 as a springboard to the US Open title a month later, when Fowler came a distant second.

“I’d love to go do the same as he did last year,” Fowler said of Kaymer’s feat. “I really feel comfortable on this golf course. I love playing links golf. I’ve played well in the British Open overseas. And being that I have played well in the US Open, I feel like putting the two together with the links style and US Open set-up could turn out to be a great week.”

There is no doubt Fowler feels he has crossed his Rubicon by winning at TPC Sawgrass in May, particularly in the manner of his come-from-behind victory to defeat Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner in a play-off, having been five shots back with six holes of regulation to play. It was only Fowler’s second victory on the PGA Tour and his first since beating Rory McIlroy down the stretch at Quail Hollow to win the Wells Fargo Championship in 2012.

But landing a title many consider to be the unofficial fifth major has silenced those who doubted that the Californian had what it takes to get over the finish line. “The four majors were solid weeks. They were solid finishes. I managed to put myself in contention and put together four great rounds and end up making history with four great finishes,” Fowler said.

“But there’s a difference between a top five and getting the job done and being the guy last standing holding the trophy at the end. I definitely feel like the win at The Players was kind of the next step to holding the trophy at a major.”

Fowler has knocked on the door, most recently at last August’s PGA at Valhalla when he added another runner-up finish, this time having led on the back nine before succumbing to a resilient McIlroy. The experience has enhanced his belief he is now ready to make the leap forward.

“I think I’m very much ready to go get in contention in a major and get the job done.”