“This Would Be Epic”: Minutes After American Golfer Rickie Fowler’s Historical Feat at US Open, Kelly Slater Issues a Heartfelt Statement

Rickie Fowler has had a successful career with five PGA Tour titles to his name. And 2023, looks like his year yet again. In a remarkable display of skill, Fowler began the 2023 US Open at Los Angeles Country Club with a phenomenal first-round score of 62. This outstanding performance allowed him to tie the record for the lowest score ever recorded in a major championship.

Fowler’s feat made him the first player in the championship’s history to score a 62 in a round. Celebrating Fowler’s historic accomplishment, his friend and legendary surfer, Kelly Slater, took to social media to express his admiration. 

Fowler’s Spectacular Performance and Journey to Redemption

In his Instagram story, Slater posted a picture of the US Open leaderboard and praised Fowler, saying, “This would be epic. So happy for you @rickiefowler. You deserve this more than anyone. Keep it going, brother.” To add to the excitement, Fowler found himself in a shared lead with fellow golfer Xander Schauffele, who also shot an impressive 62 in the opening round. Their exceptional scores put them four strokes ahead of Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy, both of whom shot a commendable 66.

Fowler’s journey to this point had its fair share of challenges. He had missed the previous two US Opens and experienced a dip in his ranking, falling out of the top-100 golfers in the world in 2022. However, he experienced a resurgence in form in 2023, achieving eight top-10 finishes in his last nine starts leading up to the US Open.

Kelly Slater, widely considered the greatest surfer of all time with an impressive 11 world titles, holds a deep admiration for the talented golfer and the sport itself. In fact, he’s gone on record to mention how if it had not been for his love of surfing, he would have likely been a pro golfer.

King Kelly’s golfing avatar

A self taught golfer, during an interview with the PGA Tour in 2014, Slater stated that he plays 150 rounds a year. King Kelly started playing golf in the 1990s, at the age of 23. “My best years on [the WSL] tour were the first two years I started playing golf”, Slater said to Fairgame Golf, a social app founded by golfer Adam Scott. So what is Slater’s best score to date? “My best is four or five under. I shot four under at the Pebble event—five birdies and a bogey at Monterey Peninsula”, he said to Golf Digest in 2017.

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Looks like the pro surfer and pro golfer were brought together for their love of a common sport. And that admiration, continues as the stalwarts of their respective games continue to support and encourage each other in their wins.

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