With all the young talent these days, there’s a ton of hype that comes with it — Rickie Fowler, an All-American standout at Oklahoma State, is one of them. But unlike some, he’s backing it up with his phenomenal play. I mean, wow, the kid is having a ridiculously remarkable fall. He sure has the attention of the Golf Channel’s commentators, who have been joyously singing his praises (hmm, do I smell a crush?).

At his first PGA Tour event as a professional last week, he finished T7. And now, at the Frys.com Open, he’s continuing his hot streak. In the first round, he tore it up with a 5-under 65, good enough for T4. He followed it by lighting it up with an outstanding 6-under 64.  Though half the field have yet to finish their rounds, Rickie is currently at the very top of the leaderboard. His solid ballstriking has been one of the keys to his success as he’s only missed two greens in 36 holes. (Red hot!)

After his round, he told the Golf Channel:

“People ask me how it feels to be a professional now and playing in the PGA Tour events as a pro, I feel the same. I feel pretty relaxed out there and just kind of doing my thing. It seems to be working out pretty well. Going into Saturday and Sunday, I’m just going to try and put together two solid rounds. I plan on going to Q-school and not look too far ahead. I’m just going to focus on this weekend.”

To bypass Q-school and secure his Tour card, Rickie needs a victory this week (to finish in the top 125 on the PGA Tour money list). While winning ain’t easy, he couldn’t be in a better position to carry out this first-rate feat. And given the way he’s playing, along with his fearless, relaxed attitude, it surely wouldn’t be out of the question.

[Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Image]