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SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- Rickie Fowler is short on majors, not on class.He returned to the 18th green at Baltusrol after an exhausting day because he wanted to congratulate the winner. He is friendly with Jimmy Walker and Jason Day, though there is a special connection with Walker. Both work with Butch Harmon. They were partners in all four matches in the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, and two matches in the Presidents Cup at South Korea. They were housemates at Royal Troon.Hes definitely one of my closest buddies on tour, Fowler said.Sunday afternoon, however, was as close as Fowler came to a major championship trophy this year.He was trending in a big way two years ago when he finished in the top five at all four majors, a feat previously achieved only by Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods until Jordan Spieth joined them last year. Even so, it appeared to be only a matter of time before Fowler broke through.That now seems like a long time ago.On a soft course at Baltusrol, in a major that produced five players who had all four rounds in the 60s, Fowler could only manage 70-71 in the last two rounds Sunday and tied for 33rd. That was his best finish of the year in the majors.The British Open two weeks earlier was the first cut in a major he made this year. He shot 76-73 on the weekend at Royal Troon. He never shot better than 75 at Oakmont. He opened with an 80 at Augusta National.Golf is hard, and so are the majors.One year, Fowler had top 5s in all the majors without winning a tournament. The next year, he won a career-best three times and didnt feature in any of the majors.There is no cause for alarm. He still is No. 7 in the world, and thats not a case of bad math. Fowler won in January at Abu Dhabi against the strongest field of the year on the European Tour. He lost the Phoenix Open in a playoff after leading by two shots with two to play. He had the 54-hole lead at Quail Hollow in early May and closed with a 74.Since then, his only top 10 was at Firestone, a World Golf Championship with a small field and no cut.Its been a little slow the last couple of months, Fowler said Monday at the TPC Boston to promote his title defense next month in the Deutsche Bank Championship. Just golfs hard. If it was easy, then everyone would be out here playing and I wouldnt have a job. So its just kind of fighting through it and continuing to put in the work, and it will turn back around here soon.The victory at the Deutsche Bank Championship last year, coupled with the victory in Abu Dhabi this year, put Fowler on the cusp of conversations involving the top players. He made people suggest a Big Four when there really were only three players battling for No. 1. And when Dustin Johnson won the U.S. Open to move into the elite in todays game, Fowler lingered as No. 5.Thats no longer the case. Golf is done with Big any numbers, and Fowler wouldnt be part of that conversation at the moment.Where the sluggish season has hurt him is in the Ryder Cup standings.Fowler has dropped all the way to No. 12, a precarious place to be for a couple of reasons. Only the top eight automatically qualify for the U.S. team, and Fowler is running out of time to make it. He chose to play in the Olympics, and hes leaving this week to be there for opening ceremonies in Rio de Janeiro on Friday.That means he wont be at the Travelers Championship, where the other three Olympians are playing -- Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed and Matt Kuchar. All of them are just outside the top eight, and just ahead of Fowler, in the Ryder Cup standings.Its another reminder how little golf guarantees. Fowler never imagined this being an issue six months ago.I took a little bit more time off through the first part of the season to prepare for the busy summer that was ahead, Fowler said. Unfortunately, I havent played as well as I would have liked to the past few months, which has kind of put me in a tough position.He was in reasonable shape at the halfway point in the last two majors, only to fade on the weekend. And as thrilled as he was for Walker winning a major, Fowler surely took notice that the 37-year-old Texan had been struggling over the previous 15 months.It can be frustrating that it wasnt him, or it can provide hope that his turn his coming.Either way, hes running out of time.The cutoff for Ryder Cup qualifying is after The Barclays at the end of the month. Davis Love III will get four captains picks, though Fowler doesnt have form on his side, particularly if someone else emerges during the FedEx Cup playoffs. No guarantees in golf.The next trophy in his sight is a gold medal from the Olympics, which he grew up watching. Fowler said he was never going to run fast enough or jump high enough to be an Olympian, so this was a pleasant surprise to have golf return to the Olympics for the first time since 1904.There are no Ryder Cup points in Rio, though a gold medal would surely go a long way toward another competition at Hazeltine that is all about flag. No one wants to miss that one. Air Force 1 Hvit Norge . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta. Nike Tanjun Norge . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". http://www.airforce1norge.com/air-force-1-dame-norge.html . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. Air Force 1 Norge . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. Air Force 1 Herre Norge .4 million title. Ryan Riess emerged with the title after a session in which he started behind, but used expert skill to gather the chips to his side amid the unpredictability of no-limit Texas Hold em. Riess put his final opponent Jay Farber all-in with an Ace-King. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick said he refused to stand during the national anthem on Friday because of his views on the countrys treatment of racial minorities.I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color, Kaepernick told NFL Media after Fridays game. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.The 49ers acknowledged in a statement that Kaepernick sat on the teams bench during the national anthem before San Franciscos game against the Green Bay Packers?in Santa Clara, California.The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pregame ceremony, the statement said. It is an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we are afforded as its citizens. In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose to participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem.Kaepernick told NFL Media that he did not tell the team he was planning to protest the national anthem.This is not something that I am going to run by anybody, he said. I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people that are oppressed. ... If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right.Addressing reporters on a conference call on Saturday, 49ers coach Chip Kelly called Kaepernicks actions his right as a citizen.?We recognize his right to do that, Kelly said. Its not my right to tell him not to do something.Kelly added that he hadnt received any feedback from his players regarding the much-debated actions of his quarterback.Im sure some of them would be aware of it after reading the accounts today, but no one has expressed anything, Kelly said. Well talk about it as a team tomorrow.Keenan Reynolds, who played his college ball at Navy and is trying to make the Baltimore Ravens roster as a receiver and kick returner, said Kaepernick has the right to take such a stance.Obviously, being in the military, Im proud of that position, Im proud of being able to defend the country, so humbled [by] other people that came before me and gave their lives so I can play on the field and run around and we can live freely in this country, Reynolds said. But like I said, thats his right, and hes going to do what he has to do.New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz, speaking after Saturday nights preseason game against the?Jets, said he disagreed with Kaepernicks actions.I think, personally, the flag is the flag, regardless of how you feel about the things that are going on in America today and the things that are going on across the world with gun violence and things of that nature, Cruz said. You got to respect the flag, and you got to stand up with your teammates. Its bigger than just you, in my opinion. You go up there, youre with a team, and you go and pledge your allegiance to the flag, and you sing the nnational anthem with your team, and then you go about your business.dddddddddddd Whatever your beliefs are, are your beliefs.Colin is his own man. He decided to sit down and sit out, and thats his prerogative. But on a personal standpoint, you have to stand up there and understand that this game and whats going on around the country is bigger than just you.Kaepernick also did not stand for the national anthem during the other preseason games, but he wasnt dressed for those contests because of tightness in his right shoulder.NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Saturday that players?are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the national anthem.Pro Football Talk initially reported that Kaepernick did not stand during the anthem. He was not asked about his decision during his postgame news conference, which was held before the Pro Football Talk report.Kaepernick, who is biracial, was adopted and raised by white parents. He has been outspoken on his Twitter account on civil rights issues and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.Numerous high-profile athletes have spoken out about civil rights issues in the wake of gun violence throughout the United States. In July, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul opened the ESPYS with a call for social change and an end to violence, and WNBA players wore warm-up shirts to show solidarity after shootings in Minnesota and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.Wades cousin, Nykea Aldridge, was killed by gunfire in Chicago on Friday, a day after Wade participated in a series of panel discussions on gun violence hosted by The Undefeated on ESPN.Kaepernick told NFL Media that he had thought about going public with his feelings for a while but said, I felt that I needed to understand the situation better.In a series of tweets on Saturday, Giants?offensive lineman Justin Pugh reiterated his position on why he stands for the national anthem.Kaepernick joins team sports athletes, including Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Carlos Delgado, in refusing to participate during patriotic American songs. Abdul-Rauf was suspended one game by the NBA in 1996 for not standing during the national anthem, saying the United States had a history of tyranny and doing so would conflict with his Islamic beliefs. He later agreed to stand and pray silently during the song. Delgado would leave the field in 2004 during God Bless America in protest of the Iraq War.Kaepernick made his preseason debut on Friday against the Packers. He went 2 for 6 passing for 14 yards and added 18 yards on four carries in the 49ers 21-10 loss.Kelly was asked Saturday if he expects Kaepernick to make the 53-man roster.Yeah, hes competing with?Blaine [Gabbert]?to see who our starting quarterback is going to be, Kelly said. We havent had any discussions in terms of starters right now. Our whole focus today was really making our cuts to 75.?ESPN staff writer Nick Wagoner and The Associated Press contributed to this report. ' ' '