Tour card lure no distraction for focused Fowler

New York: American Rickie Fowler has no intention of being sidetracked at this week`s Viking Classic in Madison, Mississippi, even though he could secure his PGA Tour card for next year with a high finish.

The 20-year-old, who has competed in only two events as a professional, is roughly USD 170,000 short of securing a full exemption for 2010."I`m just looking forward to this week, hopefully put together four good rounds and see where we`re going from there," Fowler told reporters before the penultimate event on the 2009 PGA Tour. "I came out to play as well as I could and right now the plans are still to go to Q-School." Fowler ended a glittering amateur career after last month`s Walker Cup and made an immediate splash in the paid ranks. He tied for seventh at the Las Vegas Open after opening with scores of 67 and 64 and lost out to compatriot Troy Matteson in a three-way playoff for the Arizona Open on Sunday. "I knew I was capable of coming out and competing," Fowler said. "But that was a pretty quick start."My expectations were basically just to go out and have two fun weeks, play as well as I could," added Fowler, who briefly led by one shot in the final round of the Arizona Open. "There`s always that goal of winning, and there`s no reason to tee it up in a tournament if I don`t think I can win." "I knew I could be in this position if I just played my game. These last two weeks I`ve been playing fairly solid, and I`m going into this week with the same game plan." In his first two starts on the U.S. circuit as a professional, Fowler has earned USD 553,700. This week`s winner will pick up a cheque for USD 666,000 and, according to estimates by Tour officials, Fowler needs approximately another $170,000 to break into the top 125 on the money list to secure his 2010 card. However, he faces an experienced field of battle-hardened professionals at Annandale Golf Club, including former major winners David Toms, Steve Elkington and Ben Curtis, plus Chad Campbell, the 2007 champion. Part-time surfer Will MacKenzie defends the title he won last year in a three-way playoff with fellow Americans Brian Gay and Marc Turnesa. Bureau Report