OAKMONT, Pa. — When he overtook Henrik Stenson on the back nine of the final round to win the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston nine months ago, Rickie Fowler was forcing himself into the discussion as one of the world’s best golfers.

Even though he didn’t have a major championship — and still doesn’t — Fowler had pulled off a three-win year in 2015, all big events. He captured the Players Championship and DBC (a playoff tournament) on the PGA Tour, sandwiched around a victory at the European Tour’s Scottish Open.

Fowler was ranked No. 5 in the world after he won in Norton, behind Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, and Bubba Watson. The order has changed slightly, but Fowler remains fifth, behind the same four names.

However, the momentum he took from winning those three events — then adding another European Tour victory in January — has cooled. He would desperately like to find it again, and figures this week’s 116th US Open at Oakmont Country Club is as good a time, and the ideal place, as any.

After watching the top four players combine to win six majors the past two years, is Fowler ready to take the next step in his career?

“Next step would be winning a major,’’ Fowler said. “The last two years have definitely put me in a great position for that, with the top-fives in 2014, and then coming back in ’15 and winning multiple times for the first time in my career. Obviously, big win at the Players, and to go on after that and get a couple more wins in the following months.

“Not the start that I wanted to the majors this year, but we’ve got three ahead of us, and I’m really looking forward to this week.’’

Fowler missed the cut at this year’s Masters, where he opened with an 80. He also missed the cut at last year’s US Open, where he opened with an 81. Those slow starts have reversed a trend. In 2014, when he went 5-2-2-3 in the majors, Fowler had first-round scores of 71 at the Masters, 70 at the US Open, and 69 at both the British Open and PGA Championship. Solid starts led to solid finishes.

Over his last five opening rounds at majors, though, Fowler is a combined 21 over par. He’s ranked 92d in first-round scoring average this year. He was 33d in the same category a year ago.

Even though Fowler comes into the US Open off two straight missed cuts, that’s not to say he has played poorly all year. He won in Abu Dhabi in January, was fifth in Hawaii at the Tournament of Champions (Spieth won), and lost a playoff to Hideki Matsuyama in Phoenix. He tied for fourth at the Wells Fargo, one of six top-10 PGA Tour finishes on the season.

Still, something seems to be missing with Fowler’s game. Or maybe it’s because the four players in front of him have all either won or played well recently. Day has three wins, Spieth two, while McIlroy won last month on the European Tour at the Irish Open, and Watson went 1-2 right before the Masters.

Fowler acknowledges that the top four players have created separation.

“I think there’s a bit of a gap right now,’’ he said. “They’ve won majors, so I’ve got some catching up to do.’’

Making more putts would be the key, it seems. Fowler’s ball striking remains strong; he’s 11th in total driving, and only two players look at more birdie putts, because he’s third in greens in regulation.

Fowler was 18th on Tour in putts per round last year. This year, he’s No. 100.

“The only reason that I’ve struggled a little bit here and there is just because I’ve been a little bit frustrated with the putting,’’ he said, “and that can sometimes leak over into driving the ball and then hitting a good shot onto the green. I’m looking forward to seeing the ball go back in the hole.’’

Fowler will be paired for the first two rounds with McIlroy and Masters champion Danny Willett. It was Willett who lumped Fowler in with the others when asked about the game’s current best players.

“You want to be playing in majors with Rory, Rickie, Jordan and Jason,’’ Willett said, “and playing against them.’’

Fowler would prefer to be winning them, but he knows that hasn’t been easy. Still, combining his 2014 (finishing in the top five of all four majors, no Tour wins) with his 2015 (poor majors, but three Tour wins) would allow him to take that next step.

“If I put the last two years together, that would equal a major this year,’’ Fowler said. “But they don’t come that easy. We’ve got some work to do, and I’m looking forward to chasing those guys down.

“A major will come.’’

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