Rickie Fowler believes he is edging closer back to his best for the first time in nearly a decade after continuing his resurgence in form with a record-breaking start to the US Open.
The world No 45 equalled the lowest score in men's major championship history and posted the lowest round recorded at a US Open, carding a stunning eight-under 62 in benign conditions at Los Angeles Country Club.
This week's appearance is his first at a US Open since 2020, with Fowler showing signs of getting back to his previous brilliant best after a remarkable transformation in his game and results in recent months.
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Fowler posted top-five finishes in all four majors in 2014 and then claimed two victories on the PGA Tour the following year, helping him reach a career-high of world No 4, then added five more major top-10s between 2017 and 2019 before his game started to decline.
The most recent of his five PGA Tour titles came at the 2019 WM Phoenix Open, with Fowler sliding down the world rankings after inconsistency with his ball-striking in the seasons immediately following golf's Covid-19-enforced shutdown in 2020.
Fowler failed to qualify for three of the four majors last season, including the US Open after spending the opening day of last year's contest waiting on the range as an alternate, with a drop to world No 185 one of the reasons behind a return to former coach Butch Harmon.
"Butch is great, just his voice and having him in your corner," Fowler explained. "He has been around and seen a lot and been around so many great players. He's coached so many guys to reach, I would say, their potential. I feel like he's a very good golf and life coach.
"He can be technical and mechanical if needed, but he understands the playing and the mental side. Just tells you something to give you a little confidence to go out there and just go play golf and keep it simple. That's been one of the big things has been me getting back to playing golf."
Fowler posted a tied-second finish at the Zozo Championship in October but started 2023 still outside the world's top 100, only to move back up the rankings with a consistent run of results.
PGA Tour statistics highlight Fowler's noticeable improvements during the first half of the year, with the former US Open runner-up back to gaining strokes in almost every area of his game and challenging at the preferred end of leaderboards.
"It has definitely been long and tough," Fowler said of the road back to the world's top 50. "A lot longer being in that situation than you'd ever want to, but it makes it so worth it having gone through that and being back where we are now.
"I would say we're starting to get maybe as close as we've ever been to where I was through kind of that [20]14, [20]15 area. I've been playing fairly consistently, but a lot of it for me is what I've been able to get out of off-weeks."
Fowler followed a tied-sixth finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge by claiming a share of ninth at The Memorial earlier this month, before ripping up the record books with a history-making start to the US Open.
Ten birdies and two bogeys saw him post the lowest recorded score at a US Open and equal the all-time men's major low, only for Xander Schauffele to match it less than 30 minutes later.
"There's still plenty of golf to be played," Fowler said. "It's going to be tough [Friday] afternoon, but at least got out of the gate and we're off to a good start."
Fowler's past struggles were recognised by Schauffele, who said about his compatriot's fast start: "Rick's awesome. He's truly probably one of the nicest guys out here. I mean that when I say it - I couldn't be happier for him to see him in good form.
"Being in Florida a little bit more now, I've played some games with him and he's just a pleasure to be around. It's not surprising to see him shoot eight under, either. I'm happy that he's able get back into good form and can compete at a high level."
Was a history-making round a surprise?
Fowler missed the cut at the PGA Championship last month but has made top-20 finishes in 10 of his 11 other PGA Tour starts this year, with former PGA champion Rich Beem impressed by the 34-year-old's birdie-filled start.
"I thought there was going to be a low round out there on Thursday or Friday morning, just because of the way the golf course was setting up," Rich Beem told Sky Sports. "When you have a golf course in this perfect shape and with very little wind, you're going get somebody to take it low.
"I just never expected to see not one 62 but two of them! They were both phenomenal but for Rickie go out there and have some mistakes but still shoot 10 birdies was remarkable. I don't care whether it's this course or any US Open venue, to do that is just mind blowing.
"More than anything, he has improved mentally. His ball-striking has also gotten better, which has taken some heat off the greens and allows him to free-wheel with the putter a bit more.
"It seems like every player who goes to see Butch Harmon sees to see their mental outlook change for the better. Butch not only helps with the swing, as he also helps players find the belief in themselves and their games."
Will the record scoring continue in Los Angeles?
Fowler and Schauffele's historic starts were part of a record-breaking day of low scoring in Los Angeles, with many of the field questioning whether the birdies will be as prevalent during the rest of the tournament.
"I think the USGA will be a bit frustrated that the number was that low," world No 1 Scottie Scheffler admitted after his opening-round 67. "I don't think you'll be seeing too much of that over the weekend.
"I didn't see eight under out there [on Thursday], especially with the way I started. It's one of those golf courses where I think if you can pick up some momentum and capitalize on some really difficult holes, all of a sudden it starts to open up and you see those easier holes."
Max Homa, who posted a two-under 68, said: "I'm sure after Rickie did what did he they will make it quite a bit harder for us [Friday] afternoon! It was just like we played it the last few days."
Watch the 123rd US Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday from 3pm on Sky Sports Golf and 7pm on Sky Sports Main Event.