By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

“Drive for show, putt for dough.”

Golfers hear it ad nauseam. It means the short game is critical to golf success.

Osceola High’s Steven Fowler might be 20 yards before his competitors off the tee, but he’ll be first to hit his approach and he’ll carve an iron shot into the green to put the pressure on the bigger hitters.

Over the course of the day, he’ll chip and putt an opponent into submission.

That plan worked on the day of the Orange Belt Conference championship when he fired a 75 at Kissimmee Bay Country Club to win the individual title by one shot over St. Cloud’s Caleb Sibley and lead the Kowboys to the team championship.

“Yeah, the guys I was playing with were past me all day (off the tee),” Fowler said. “But the best thing about my game right now is my putting, and it helped me a lot that day. That was a pretty big deal and a really good day for us.”

He shot a 76 at Royal St. Cloud Golf Links in the 2A District 16 tournament, good enough to qualify for regionals. That round was the best district scores of anyone in the county and, coupled with that and his nine-hole scoring average of 39, earned him Osceola News-Gazette Boys Golfer of the Year honors.

A four-year varsity player at OHS, he closed his career with an 81 in the regional tournament at Duran Country Club in Viera.

“That was a rough day, being my last round and it was a long course, it all took its toll,” Fowler said.

Over the course of the season he proved to be the best player in he county, not bad considering he’s only played the game for five years.

“I saw it on TV one time and thought it was something I’d like to try,” he said. “I’m the first one in my family to play.”

He works with local professional Porter Metcalf on his swing, and also sports psychologist Bob Winters.

“Working with him (Winters) helps me stay more positive and play one shot at a time instead of thinking about my score,” Fowler said.

Being in a better mental place than most of his competition helped with that putting stroke, which put the rest of his game at ease, he said.

“I practice it a lot, so I make a lot of positive strokes and I know that I can make every putt,” Fowler said.

“It takes a lot of pressure off. Even if I make a a bad shot I know I can recover.”

Kowboys Coach George Coffey said Fowler knew he’d have to be the inexperienced squad’s source of leadership and direction.

“Steven was our rock; he did everything that was asked,” Coffey said.

“He was our No. 1 player and acted that way. Our goal was to be OBC champions and the whole team played like they were motivated that way all season long. He shined when he had to.”