SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- Rickie Fowler couldnt resist smiling Thursday when a reporter tried to artfully phrase a potentially prickly question about his midseason struggles this year.Hed just shot a 2-under 68 in the first round of the PGA Championship, so it was an odd time to talk about why he has been a hot mess in all the majors this season, but the reporter tap-danced around it anyway: Is it fair to say the middle part of your year wasnt quite what you wanted it to be?The middle part was terrible, Fowler said. You dont have to sugar coat it. It wasnt very good.It was a nice bit of candor from one of golfs typically reserved personalities, and it spoke to just how lost Fowler was for a stretch of 2016. After starting the year with four top-10s in his first five starts -- including a near miss at the Waste Management Phoenix Open -- he found himself mired in a tailspin in which he missed cuts at four of the most important tournaments: The Masters, The Players, The Memorial and The Open Championship.Missing cuts is definitely not fun, and definitely not whats planned, Fowler said. Swing wise, its just fundamentals. At the highest level, if you are off just a little bit, especially in a major, it picks you apart.Six years into Fowlers career, its still hard to project what kind of player hell go down as. An overhyped, streaky fan favorite? Hes likely better than that, especially after retooling his swing under Butch Harmon and finding more consistency. He has won three times since rebuilding his swing, including earlier this year in Abu Dhabi at the HSBC Championship.An all-time great? Might be a stretch, but its still possible. Hes only 27 years old, and Phil Mickelson didnt win his first major until he was 33. Five out of the past six major winners have been first-timers, which suggests he has karma on his side. When hes playing well, Fowler hits it so pure, its hard to imagine him never breaking through and winning a major. He doesnt have any glaring weaknesses. Hes currently sixth on the PGA Tour in strokes gained tee-to-green, 13th in total driving distance, and 48th in strokes gained putting.But in a way, playing so well in 2014, when he became only the third player in history (joining Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods) to finish in the top five in all four majors in one season, may have raised expectations to unrealistic levels. Winning the Players in a playoff in 2015 only fueled the hype even more. Touted at the start of the year as a potential member of The Big Four, with Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy, Fowler now isnt even a lock to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Hes 10th in points, and might need Davis Love III to make him a captains pick without a strong showing over the final month of qualifying.All of which is why Fowlers first-round 68 at Baltusrol was a positive sign. In the opening round of the past seven majors, Fowler had been a combined 25-over par. And after starting with a bogey on the 10th hole, his first of the day, he then made four birdies on the back nine to finish the day 3 strokes behind Round 1 leader Jimmy Walker, who shot 65.Definitely happy with todays round, Fowler said. Anything in red numbers is always nice to start off a major. ... I like my chances. Ive been swinging well and heading in the right direction. Anything can happen this week.Fowlers youth, his embrace of social media, and his unique sense of style can create the impression (at least among some fans) that he doesnt care enough -- that he isnt as focused on winning tournaments the way Spieth, Day and McIlroy are.Its an unfair characterization, and Fowler put some of it to rest earlier this year when he choked up in his post-round media conference after losing in a playoff to Hideki Matsuyama in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. It was obvious, in both his words and how his voice broke several times, how badly he wanted to win in front of his father and grandfather, who were in attendance.With how good Im playing, I know I can win. Thats what hurts, Fowler said at the time.After a frustrating couple of months, Fowler may finally be back there again. Air Max 95 Cheap Authentic . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. Air Max 95 Nz . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. http://www.airmax95outletnz.com/ . Gather a group of friends, or find a league to join online, draft your team, set your lineup and compete in a number of different formats. Air Max 95 New Zealand . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Cheap Air Max 95 Nz . -- Patrick Reed got an early start in golf.The Winnipeg Goldeyes have picked up exactly where they left off. Friday night in Grand Prairie, Tex., the Goldeyes got a great start from Matt Rusch, a homer from Josh Mazzola, three hits from Leonard Davis, a three-run sixth inning and a lock-down ninth inning from closer Patrick Keating to open the 2013 American Association season with a 4-2 win over the Grand Prairie AirHogs. “We were hitting on all cylinders,” said Goldeyes pitching coach Jamie Vermilyea on TSN 1290s post-game show. “We were throwing strikes, getting hits, playing defence. It was a good performance.” Indeed it was. The Goldeyes trailed 2-1 heading into the sixth when Mazzola homered and the Fish put up a three-spot and took the lead for good. The inning opened with a double from Fehlandt Lentini and after Nick Liles flew out, Davis singled home Lentini. Davis then scored ahead of Mazzola, who hit the game-winning two-run bomb. Meanwhile, as Davis and Mazzola each drove in two runs, the pitching staff was terrific. Rusch, who got the win, allowed two runs over five complete innings. Brendan Lafferty, Chris Kissock and Allen Caldwell each pitched a scoreless inning of relief and Keating shut it down in the ninth. While Rusch scattered six hits over five complete, the bullpen allowed only two over the next four. Rusch had five strikeouts while the bullpen added six – Lafferty had two, Kissock and Caldwell had one each and Keating struck out two in the ninth, including tthe final hitter from Grand Prairie, Joe Staley.dddddddddddd “Rusch came out throwing strikes, kept our defense on their toes and they were making plays behind him,” said Vermilyea. “When youre throwing strikes and getting ahead of hitters you can be very successful. “I mean you know you cant win ‘em all unless you win the first one and Matt gave us five solid innings and thats what we were looking for from him. Then we got an inning each from four relievers and now, if we need to, we can run them all out there tomorrow night.” Vermilyea was extremely impressed with the prowess of Davis, a former Washington Nationals minor league player of the year. The Goldeyes DH went three-for-four, drove in a pair and scored one. “Leonard Davis is getting better every day,” said Vermilyea. “Hes getting his timing down, hes really starting to hit his stride. Leonards looking good.” Rusch (1-0) got the win for Winnipeg. The man who earned the victory in the final game of last falls playoffs is off to a great start. Keating got the save, as five Goldeyes pitchers did not walk one AirHogs hitter. Starter Derek Blacksher (0-1) took the loss for Grand Prairie. He lasted just five innings, walked none, struck out one, and allowed four runs. The Goldeyes and AirHogs go at it again Friday night in Grand Prairie. The game can be heard live with Paul Edmonds on TSN 1290 beginning with the pre-game show at 6:30 p.m. ' ' '