American Rickie Fowler says he’s in full agreement with Rory McIlroy’s comments from the recent Shell Houston Open that golf’s 20-something brigade need to create a new world order in golf.

Fowler and McIlroy are best of friends and with only a few months in age separating the American from his Northern Ireland born colleague.

Of course, inside the ropes the pair are the fiercest of rivals as evident when Fowler denied McIlroy a second victory in the Quail Hollow Championship in a play-off for the 2012 title while a year earlier Fowler left McIlroy in his wake winning by six shots the Korean Open title chase.

Rickie Fowler backs Rory McIlroy’s view the 20-something golfers need to kick-start a new world order. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)

“I definitely agree with Rory that all the players in that group he’s talking about he and I, and guys like Billy Horshell and Jordan, because we are good enough to be up there and in contention every week,” said Fowler after the opening round of the 2014 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

“So I feel like Rory that collectively we can make our presence a little more known.”

And likely USA Ryder Cup rookie Patrick Reed was also singing the praise of the absent double Major winning McIlroy from this week’s Tour stop in Louisiana.

The 23-year old Reed played alongside McIlroy during the course of the Texan’s WGC – Cadillac Championship success in March, and despite Reed coming in for criticism for his ‘I’m top-five in the world’, the soon-to-be new father was very complimentary of McIlroy.

“What I like about Rory is that he really thinks his way around a golf course and sticks to his game plan,” said Reed also following his first day’s play in New Orleans.

“He hits a lot of high draws, a lot of those knuckle high draws where he’s figured out a way to hit those shots.

“So he plays in his comfort zone and that’s what I like to do but then if I get myself in trouble I try to do too much, so I need to be more like Rory and stick with what I have.

“I learned a lot from playing alongside him that week.  He’s also such a great guy and I was able to pick his brain a lot that weekend.

“So I’m looking forward to seeing him again at all the Majors this year and hopefully later this year at the Ryder Cup.”

McIlroy is due to return to competition at next week’s Wells Fargo Championship and the venue in 2010 of his breakthrough success on the PGA Tour.