Maturing Fowler leads with former coach by his side

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With Darr on the bag, Fowler tied the tournament record for lowest 36-hole score.

DUBLIN, Ohio -- A month ago, Donnie Darr sent a text message to PGA TOUR rookie Rickie Fowler.

Darr, the Ohio State golf coach who previously worked as an assistant at Oklahoma State and was instrumental in recruiting Fowler to that school, had a simple request.

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Did Fowler want the free services of Darr as a caddie during the TOUR's annual stop at Muirfield Village?

Darr, who walked alongside Fowler many times during their days together at Stillwater, had always wanted the opportunity to caddie for Fowler at least once. And so the kid obliged. He gave his usual caddie, Joe Skovron, the week off, and told Darr that he better get in shape to carry the big bag at this week's Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley.

Halfway through the tournament, the relationship has worked wonderfully. Fowler tied the tournament record for lowest 36-hole score, shooting 65-66 to reach the halfway point at 13 under. He'll go into this weekend with a three-shot lead -- the largest 36-hole lead at the Memorial in 19 years -- and halfway to his first win on TOUR.

And his pursuers aren't expecting Fowler to back up.

"I know what a great player he is," said Phil Mickelson, seven shots back. "... The challenge will be for us to go out and try to catch him."

Tim Petrovic, who will be in the last threesome Saturday with Fowler and Justin Rose, could only shake his head in amazement at the show the rookie has produced the first two days. "I don't know what tees Ricky's playing out there," he said.

Darr, however, has seen this before. Not, of course, at this level, but during Fowler's younger days as a junior player and a collegiate star. At Oklahoma State, Fowler was a two-time All-American and won the Ben Hogan Award as the nation's top college player after his first year.

The same talent that Fowler showed in college has been on display this week, as he's missed just three fairways and seven greens in regulation through the first 36 holes. But Darr does see something different, something encouraging.

Maturity.

Fowler's age (21), his hair (think Justin Bieber) and his clothes (edgy and usually fluorescent) may indicate otherwise, but he's grown up pretty fast this year.

"He's just a little bit more patient now," Darr said after Friday's round. "He's always been a great ball-striker, always putted it very well. So that's the biggest thing now, he's just more patient."

Friday's round, Darr revealed, is a good example. Fowler was striking the ball even better than he did Thursday when he shot a 7-under 65 to share the first-round lead with Rose and Geoff Ogilvy. But he was getting nothing for it.

That's when Darr reminded Fowler that he's a streaky player, and that if he just keeps making good shots, he usually scores in bunches. "And that's what happened," Darr said.

Fowler, having started his second round on the 10th hole, eagled the par-5 15th with a putt from 34 feet, 4 inches, then produced four birdies on the second nine, including three straight starting at the par-4 sixth.

Considering Fowler had never even seen Muirfield Village until Tuesday of this week, his record-tying 36-hole score is even more impressive. So is the fact that, after an early bogey in his first round, Fowler has gone 34 consecutive holes without a bogey. But this is what mature players do -- they don't get freaked out by playing on an unfamiliar course, they just go about their business and play within themselves and in control.

"I definitely think I'm a smarter player," said Fowler, comparing his game now to his college days. "The pins are a little bit more tucked out here than you find in college golf.

"Every once in a while, you have some tournaments where they don't want you to shoot very low, so they'll tuck some. But for the most part in college, it was hit it at the fairway, go at the pin, try to make as many birdies as possible. Out here, you've got to position yourself around... and hit golf shots."

Maturity also comes in other forms. It means laying off the pizza and fast foods that are the staples of most college students and having a balanced, nutritional diet.

Darr and Fowler went out to dinner earlier this week and Darr was impressed with the healthy food that Fowler ordered. "He's a little leaner now than in college," said Darr, who also noted that Fowler is taking better care of himself during rounds, eating snacks and drinking plenty of fluids.

Fowler is also working with strength coach Christopher Noss, and with an early tee time Friday, forced himself to get up at 4:45 a.m. to make sure he made a warm-up session with Noss.

His maturity will be put to the test this weekend, of course. With the target clearly on his back, Fowler will face the kind of pressure he's never faced before against a field full of big and notable names.

"He'll dictate the rest of the tournament -- or at least for tomorrow," said Jim Furyk

Fowler's calm, easy-going Southern California demeanor is one thing, but what will his nerves be like? Fowler doesn't think it will be an issue.

"I just feel really comfortable getting out and seeing my name on top of the leaderboard," he said, having already posted four top-10 finishes this year, including a tie for second at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. "It's not making me feel much nerves at all."

Plus, he has Darr on his bag. While not his regular caddie, Darr obviously knows the right things to say to Fowler and how to help him work through a round.

"The biggest thing I can do is keep him in the moment, help him stay calm and just make sure he's enjoying himself out there," Darr said.

Thirty-six holes from now, Fowler may very well be enjoying a lot of things -- including his first TOUR win. Maybe he'll even give Darr a little something for the effort.