Rickie Fowler has been on fire this year, but he may have suffered his most crushing defeat at the UK Open when his chip shot went into a bunker and failed to reach the green.
Rickie Fowler could soon follow Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson to LIV Golf after his latest desperation attempt fell painfully short.
As more players leave the PGA Tour to compete in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, speculation is growing that Rickie Fowler may be the next major name to leave. The flamboyant 33-year-old hasn’t won on Tour since 2019, and his ranking on the Official World Golf Ranking has slipped as a result of his extended slump.
On Monday, Fowler was forced to compete in a U.S. Open qualification against amateurs and struggling professionals in a last-ditch bid to make the field for the year’s third major title. He failed to qualify for the second consecutive season, bringing him closer to joining Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson in the LIV Golf league.
LIV Golf has received attention from Rickie Fowler.
Rickie Fowler watches the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club during the third round | Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
Fowler isn’t playing in this weekend’s LIV Golf Invitational in London, but don’t be shocked if he joins the rival golf league shortly. Last month, the former world number five said that he hasn’t ruled out a move to Greg Norman’s passion project.
When asked whether he’d gotten an offer from LIV Golf ahead of the PGA Championship, Fowler said, “Yeah, I have.” “To be completely honest with you, I haven’t made a choice one way or the other.” As I’ve already said. Do I believe the PGA Tour is the greatest place to play right now? Yes, I do. Is it possible for things to be better? Yes.
“As a result, I believe it’s a fascinating situation.” There’s also the LIV and Premier [Golf League] to consider. These tours, leagues, or whatever you want to call them — if they didn’t feel that there was more possibility out there, they wouldn’t be coming up. I’ve always thought of competition as a positive thing. It’s the engine that drives our game. Being able to play games with men at home, that’s how I’ve always competed as a kid. I believe that competition improves individuals in the long run, whether in business or athletics.”
Given that Fowler hasn’t won in three years and is now ranked 145th in the Official World Golf Rankings, a change of scenery may be the best choice for the struggling golfer. It wouldn’t hurt if the checks were huge.
If Fowler fails to qualify for the US Open, he might be on his way to LIV Golf.
Rickie Fowler told me after his US Open qualifying that his opinion hasn’t changed: he still hopes to play on the PGA Tour, but he’s “intrigued” by LIV.
“I haven’t made any choices on that,” he said in response to today’s speculation regarding his future intentions.
— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) June 6, 2022
For more than two years, Fowler has been on the decline. Over the previous three seasons, the five-time PGA Tour champion has just four top-10 results, and he has as many missed cuts as top-50s this year. He’s presently in second place in the OWGR, behind Johannes Veerman, Yuto Katsuragawa, Phachara Khongwatmai, Marcus Helligkilde, and 140 other players.
The 33-year-old isn’t getting any younger, and his peak Tour window has most certainly past him by.
Fowler competed in a U.S. Open qualifying in Jupiter, Florida, on Monday. It was his final opportunity to qualify for the season’s third major, but he posted 2-under par over two rounds and missed the cut for the second year in a row by one stroke. For the second year in a row, he has failed to qualify for both the Masters and the US Open.
His exemptions are running out, and his game isn’t showing any signs of regaining its former glory. Don’t be shocked if Fowler joins LIV Golf as the next big star.
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