Rickie Fowler talks about watching Masters first round with Tiger Woods

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Rickie Fowler didn’t qualify for last month’s Masters. Tiger Woods couldn’t play the year’s first major because of injuries sustained during a single-vehicle car crash earlier in the year.

It only made sense that the two would spend Masters week watching the tournament together.

“Thursday we were watching and just how firm and fast and kind of such a fine line how Augusta can be,” Fowler said following his first round at the Wells Fargo Championship. “We were definitely both very disappointed that we couldn’t be out there to experience it, because it’s very few times where you do get to see Augusta that firm and fast.”

Wells Fargo Championship: Full-field scores | Full coverage

Fowler said it was the first time he’d been able to spend time with Woods since Woods had returned from Los Angeles where the accident occurred in February.

“[Justin Thomas] had been over there a handful of times before I got to go over and see him. Rory [McIlroy] stopped by. And that was one thing JT told me. He went over, I mean, pretty much right after he got back from L.A. and JT told me, he’s like, ‘Honestly, he was a lot better than I expected,’” Fowler said. “That was good to hear.”

Fowler said Woods was in good spirits and that he was focused on rehabbing his injured right leg and foot in order to resume his duties as a father more than his professional golf career, but there was a nearby reminder of what might await after what promises to be another lengthy rehabilitation.

“His golf clubs are right there in the living room,” Fowler said, “and he can stare at them all he wants.”