Most people who play golf know the feeling of a good ol’ fashion shank.
The ball careens off the hosel of the club and comes out on a nearly horizontal line. It’s the worst of misses, and it sets you up for a miserable guessing game with your swing the rest of the round: “If it happened once, is it going to happen again?”
It’s a horrible feeling, and it’s a feeling that isn’t exclusive to amateurs and weekend warriors. Even the best in the world hit a shank from time to time. Rickie Fowler joined the club Friday at the 2025 Travelers Championship.
Fowler’s shank came at arguably the worst time a shank can come: The very first hole. It was his second shot of the day — sitting in prime position in the fairway on the par-4 1st.
Ah, yes, the “Spanish fade.”
A simple approach from 112 yards went straight right, and put him in the deep fescue rough with 61 yards still left to the flag. The shank proved to be costly as Fowler made double bogey on No. 1 — but its lasting effects were felt throughout the rest of the round.
He shot 42 on the outward nine, making bogey or worse on all but three holes.
Being that it’s a signature event, there is no cut at the Travelers Championship, which is good news for Fowler, who was 5 over through 14 holes Friday on a course that has showed little teeth so far, yielding 14 scores of 66 or better Thursday.
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