The Monday Morning Hangover from The PLAYERS we all have comes with a big smile and it’s just not on Rickie Fowler’s face.
Sunday at TPC Sawgrass gave us all we could handle. For pure big name recognition the leaderboard lacked the big headliner but was so jammed we knew something had to happen. But we have seen this before: players fail to rise to the occasion and more end up playing poorly and the champion backs into a win. Not this Sunday. 
The cast of characters in this drama, both famous and lesser known gave us an outstanding performance worthy of being labeled historic.
The back nine of this PLAYERS was filled so much excitement, drama, joy and heartbreak it easily became the best Sunday of the season and may be the best PLAYERS of all time.
Fowler’s record setting run of six under par on the last six holes was stunning. Sergio Garcia has had his greatest success here and some of his worst nightmares finally found his putter and played like a champion. Kevin Kisner, the 31 year old unknown, came through with clutch play down the stretch and twice could have ended all the drama with putts on eighteen but missed them by the narrowest of margins.
Bill Haas, Ben Martin, Kevin Na and Rory Sabbatini all took turns at thrilling us and trying to sneak into the playoff.
As Fowler, Garcia and Kisner all went off to a playoff I was thinking that any playoff would pale in comparison to the finish we had just witnessed. But thanks to those three and Pet Dye’s brilliantly quirky layout the playoff didn’t disappoint.
And where would all the drama end? Seventeen of course.
With Sergio eliminated after the first three aggregate holes Kisner and Fowler went to face the intimidating seventeenth once again.
The seventeenth is both the most famous and reviled par three in the game but yesterday it was fitting that the tournament would be decided there.
With Kisner safely on the green and in birdie range Fowler hit a shot to five feet from the pin and dangerously close to the water. But he had played like that all afternoon: going at the pins and sticking all his shots.
His clinching putt brought to an end a classic and historic PLAYERS Championship.
Fowler played an amazing back nine and totally owned Dye’s seventeenth. Consider this: He played seventeen six times this week and he birdied it three times in regulation play and twice in a row in the playoff. That alone is worthy of a place in the history books.
As astounding as Fowler’s play was his best moment may have taken place after his round was done. 
Seconds after sinking his putt with the rush of adrenaline and thrill of victory seizing his body he showed one of the reasons he is so popular. Steve Sands of the Golf Channel pushed a microphone in his face and asked for a reaction to all the “overrated” talk. Fowler deflected his question and choose to take the classy route, the one not chosen by Sands. He took the highest of the high roads.
Fowler would not take the bait, he would not take a shot at those anonymous players or the writers that had labeled him as overrated. He certainly could have and none of us would have thought any less of him if he let out with an “I told you so” but that is not in Rickie’s DNA.
Before the tournament he said he would take care of his business and not let any of the overrated hype distract him.
He did just that and in a few seconds after his win displayed the class, humility and positive outlook that has made him one of the most popular players in golf.
It only gets better form here.
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