Rickie Fowler's style attracts young fans

Decked out head to toe in flourescent orange Puma brand apparel, Blake Rigdon, 9, resembled a miniature Rick­ie Fowler on Saturday at the Masters Tournament.

He capped off the image with brown hair flared out beneath his orange, flat-billed hat.

The junior golfer from Des­tin, Fla., has become a fan of the colorfully dressed Fowler, like many other kids.

“I like the way he acts and plays,” Blake said.

On Friday, Blake wore a diamond-patterned shirt matching the one Fowler wore in the second round.

A style maven changing the traditional look of golf attire, Fowler often wears orange in honor of Oklahoma State University, where he played golf. The young patrons scattered throughout Fow­ler’s gallery wore orange as they gawked at his navy shirt with a tri-toned rainbow of neon blue, green and yellow.

Rees Kirk, 13, wore orange shorts and a white shirt with neon stripes Saturday. He has several outfits that imitate Fowler’s look.

“It’s different. It’s colorful,” said Rees, of Haddon­field, N.J.

Rees’ mother, Susie Kirk, said Fowler is a positive role model and gets children excited about golf.

“We all had our own idols when we were little. (Fowler) is a good guy,” Kirk said.

Cailey Dupree, wearing an orange hat, has a bedroom wall devoted to Fowler.

“I like golf a lot more now that Rickie’s here,” she said.

Cailey, of Appling, said most golfers dress plainly in solid, neutral colors but Fowler stands out.

George Havard, of New­port, Wales, has a collection of four Puma hats, one to wear each day watching Fowler.

His father, Alun Havard, said George was sluggish Sat­ur­­day morning until he saw Fowler for the first time, which gave the 9-year-old a new energy boost.