Sources: Hall Of Fame Not Working On A Rickie Fowler Bust Yet

Going off of the social media reaction to Rickie Fowler's solid HSBC win, the number of Big Four references and other superlatives didn't really quite do justice to the lad, whose Players win last year was infinitely more significant.

But I get it, the Masters isn't far off, we have four millennials in the world top 4 and he's wearing Flashdance-era high tops. What's not to love. Well, maybe those hideous shoes. But if you play golf like he does, who cares.

Derek Lawrenson reminds us in his Daily Mail story from Abu Dhabi of what Rickie's peers thought of him a year ago: most overrated on the PGA Tour. Oops!

A more interesting development may be Fowler's deep-closer style. While Spieth and McIlroy have tended to be early speed horses, Fowler seems to be a little slower to get going like he was this week, but closes with a deep rush that makes his style pretty thrilling to consider (assuming it happens at a major, too).

Jason Sobel explored this side of Fowler's style.

Call it the clutch gene or a learned trait, but it's no coincidence. We can safely proclaim that he thrives under pressure.

None of which is to say that Jordan Spieth or Jason Day or Rory McIlroy -- the only three players in the world who will be ranked ahead of Fowler come Monday morning -- aren't similarly clutch. Each of them has won major championships, a fact which alone speaks volumes of their ability to close under pressure.

A related fact -- that Fowler hasn't yet won one -- is the usual cry from critics who still, somehow, doubt his talents.

While Fowler himself is the first to insist that he doesn't belong in a conversation with the so-called modernized "Big Three" because he doesn't have a major, it should be noted that he hasn't exactly flamed out in these tournaments, either. Prior to turning 27 last month, he posted a half-dozen top-10s at majors, including results of fifth or better at each of them two years ago.

In case you missed it, Alex Myers at GolfDigest.com has embeds of Rickie's two clutch final round hole-outs.