The world's seventh-ranked golfer came to Grand Canyon ... to watch pole vault.

Rickie Fowler is a PGA rock star coming off a career season, but the offseason brought him to GCU this week as a supportive boyfriend.

Fowler's girlfriend, Allison Stokke, is a former California All-American pole vaulter and aspiring Olympian who has lived and trained part-time in the Valley. Stokke worked out at GCU twice this week with Fowler joining her each time at the Lopes track, helping the Altis pole vaulting group's workout and greeting GCU coaches and student-athletes who recognized him.

Mostly, Fowler got to be just a young guy on campus in an Oklahoma State T-shirt, a week after he served as Homecoming grand marshal for his alma mater in Stillwater, Okla.

GCU golfers Carolina Sandstrom and Kylie Fong, track and field head coach Tom Flood and soccer players Rachel Mina and Brylee Hawkins were among the Lopes who met Fowler and Stokke and took photos.

"He's my biggest crush," said Sandstrom, a sophomore from Sweden. "That was so cool. He was my favorite golfer when I was growing up. It's so cool. I was like, 'Why is he at GCU?' I wish he could come to practice. The greatest golfer was next to me. It was so cool. He was really nice."

Stokke's fame is right there with Fowler's. She has 386,000 Instagram followers, making them a trending couple for their offseason of training and vacationing together.

Flood showed Fowler, who tied for fifth place in two Grand Slam events this year, a photo of his then 12-year-old daughter with Fowler six years ago and told Fowler how his son carried his sign for a Phoenix Open pro-am round. Flood also shared how he was part of the small contingent of American fans following Fowler's round at last year's Olympics in Brazil. 

"He's super gracious," Flood said.

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.