Rickie Fowler, 27-Year-Old Golfer, Wins Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship 2016!

Rickie Fowler continues to prove his critics and doubters wrong (surprisingly, there are still quite a few). Over the weekend the 27-year-old American golfer won the Abu Dhabi Championship in the United Arab Emirates, claiming his fourth win worldwide in the last nine months.

Dressed in his trademark Sunday orange--his version of Tiger Woods' Sunday red shirt that we all used to know and love, and golfers hated to see--Fowler began the day with a lead. However, a double-bogey on hole No. 7 brought back a group of challengers into the title mix. But a chip-in on the penultimate hold from just off the green for eagle all but sealed the victory.

"It was not how it was planned," Fowler told the pgatour.com. "But I came out on top."

The win will move Fowler from the 6th ranked golfer in the world to the 4th--his first time being ranked inside the top 5 in the world. He's now positioned directly behind golf's "big three" of Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, and Rory McIlroy.

"I want to be part of the crew. It would be a pretty good foursome," Fowler said, in regards to the so-called big three. "I think I mentioned through the summer at some point, I said I was a sneaky fourth. We've got to take care of a major and then maybe I can join the crew."

Ah, yes--a major. Golf's universally recognized ultimate prize. Until you have one of your own, you can't be considered truly great--no matter how many other tournaments you win. It's something all golfers and pundits can agree on, and Fowler is no exception.

However, if his recent performances are any indicator, 2016 could very well be the year that he gets that monkey off his back, and that exclusive membership to the VIP club of the big three (maybe the big three should start thinking of a new name. Perhaps the big four?).