Modest Fowler endears himself to the Irish golfing public

He came, he saw, he didn’t conquer but he did have the golfing stamina to hang around for the weekend unlike some of the other marquee names in the tournament, including the host Rory McIlroy.

Rickie Fowler bent his small, athletic frame to defying the elements for a fourth consecutive day at Royal County Down.

He finished two down to the course, shooting a 73, but his prospects of winning this tournament disappeared in a flurry of shots on Saturday evening that saw him finish with a double snowman; eight, eight in numeric form.

If he cares to reflect further on where his chances went awry he might choose to recall the 12th hole. Three days in succession he landed on the par five in two shots and on each occasion he recorded a par.

Sign autographs

Whatever misfortune befell him on the course, his attitude and commitment couldn’t be faulted. He tried on every single shot and that along with his natural charm endeared him to the galleries. His presence added to the event on and off the course.

Watching him sign autographs and pose for photographs with young fans, a matter of minutes after the disappointment of his finish on Saturday, spoke volumes for his modesty and his character.

He stopped briefly to offer his thoughts on his round and his experience in Ireland, the first time he’s returned to play here since helping the American team to victory at the 2007 Walker Cup on the Newcastle links.

“The wind was a bit stronger than it has been but I wouldn’t say any tougher than it has been throughout the week. At least were were staying dry out there (he finished long before the afternoon showers), not having to worry about the showers coming through. It’s a fair test. It’s tough. You have to hit some good shots and be in control of your golf ball.”

On his experiences during the week he added: “I had a great time. The fans were awesome at one of my favourite golf courses in the world. It was really cool to be asked by a good friend, Rory, to come over and play and support his Foundation.

“With what he did and what his Foundation did this week for the tournament and everything they are doing for children’s cancer is pretty special. So I’m happy to be a part of it and looking forward to doing more things together.”

He might offer to take McIlroy snowboarding in Colorado as a quid pro quo, a corollary between the two experiences that they’ll probably need to wear the same amount of clothing.