Watch a golf tournament on television and you’ll see Rickie Fowler — not on the course — you’ll have to wait for a commercial.
Fowler, who has made millions off the golf course, has virtually disappeared from contention this year on the PGA Tour and in the major championships.
Rickie’s last top 10 came at the American Express in January of this year. He hasn’t had one since.
He missed the cut at the PGA Championship and didn’t make it past the first round of the FedEx Cup playoffs. He tied for 49th at the Northern Trust — one and done.
This past September he tied for 49th at the U.S. Open, missed the cut at The Shriners in Vegas, tied for 28th at the CJ Cup, tied for 57th at the Zozo and tied for 29th at The Masters.
A year ago he left Butch Harmon and started working with John Tillery. His results haven’t been anything to write home about.
“I like his philosophy about the swing, not necessarily trying to put it in positions but using the body properly. With the body working correctly, there’s really only one place for the arms and the club to go,” Fowler said at the time he switched to Tillery.
Rickie got married last fall, then contracted a bacterial infection before playing in the Presidents Cup.
His work with Tillery has been an effort to improve the way his lower-body moves in the downswing and made his swing less reliant on timing, Fowler said. He said his swing will look steeper to the naked eye. “The main thing is really the lower body just working. And for me, I feel like it would stall out a bit, more so kind of halfway through the down swing and for my arms to then catch up,” Fowler said. “I used to yank a little bit with my arms from the top of the swing, I get a little steep.”
What we still see in Rickie’s swing is that flat, laid-off position at the top and perhaps that is the root of his problems. Add the fact that Rickie, for some reason, switched from a blade putter to a mallet-style putter.
That’s something he might want to reconsider.
In the meantime, Fowler began 2019 ranked 23rd in the world, he fell out of the top 15. Since then, it’s been a steady decline and now he’s in danger of falling out of the top 50 as he’s currently 48th.
Something’s gotta give. This isn’t the form that earned Rickie the opportunity to make those millions in commercials and endorsement money.
7 Comments
RM
Seems like just a few years back, IIRC there was a lot of talk about Rory, Spieth, and maybe DJ or Jason being the so called “Big Three” of golf. And how it was time for Rickie to win his major and become the other member of that elite crew.
Wellll…
My sense it is a mental thing more than anything. No knock at Rickie or many others near the top of the pile. They have worked incredibly hard and well to get where they are. If I was worth about $50M and had a new wife, there is no way I would still have the focus and drive to keep the same relentless pace up.
Very, very few folks capable of being a professional athlete period. Even fewer Tigers, Arnies, Jacks, Black Knights, MJs, Kobes, Tom Bradys, etc. out there.
Tom Edrington
I agree with you RM; When Rickie misses a cut, all he need do is look at his financial statement for proper consolation!
baxter cepeda
Totally agree about the putter Tom. Rickie will return to his old putting soon.
Imo Trying to deal with the laid off position at the top of his swing is Fowler’s only problem with his swing.
Rickie is fighting himself. He needs to do what Arnie or Bagger would recommend; swing his authentic swing.
Some work to soften/balance ricks exaggerated move is one thing, but trying to actually make changes to a swing like Ricks seems like a bad idea. Rabbit hole. Pandora’s box. Something even the great Butch may not be able to do.
Rickie finished top 5 in all 4 majors with that flat laid off swing. He has the tools.
Rickie is like Sergio. He has a natural, unique swing that relies on timing. Timing is not a 4 letter word. Timing is not bad for everyone.
If rickie had his pops coaching him like Sergio has maybe he would have been as committed to his beautiful natural swing as Sergio has, and maybe like Sergio he would have a major by now. Of course like Sergio it’s not too late.
Sergio had to learn to go to his happy place to finally win a major.
What does Rickie have to learn?
If I would want Rickie to work on one thing with an expert, it is course management. Analytics. Playing smart. Whatever you call it.
As you know Analytics is well established in golf. Ironically Bryson overthought the analytics, literally bombing the Masters, while also ironically DJ seemed to quietly use analytics perfectly around Augusta on his way to the green jacket. Again, dustins decision making was impeccable. Of course whom would ask dJ about analytics? No one would and he would down play it, anyway, but we should know better by now.
Even Phil the thrill has learned to rely on analytics. Learned to tone it down a bit here and there.
But Rickie, Rickie more than any pro is still too often that loveable gunslinging daredevil with no regard to a fault. He and his caddie need to go to an elite level golf game
Management school.
Btw spieth has the same issue as Rick imo. Spieth at his best managed his game all time. But Now every time he plays well, he has those silly big number holes that come with the shoulda coulda woulda stories.
Tom Edrington
Have it from a great source that when Rickie started working with Butch (Harmon), Butch looked at him and said: “Do you want to be a Tour player or a Kardashian?” Rickie get more television time than any player alive; Tough to be motivated when you’re bank account is that fat……as Nicklaus said, back in his day you HAD TO WIN to succeed and get endorsement money.
baxter cepeda
With all due respect to Butch, I don’t think that’s fair.
Rickie works hard.
We have to remember he has to do it with a small physique in a sport that has let it’s technology get away, too often turning pga tour events into long drive contests Rickie cannot win.
The guy busts his ass.He just doesn’t run to tell everyone how hard he works like some guys.
With people, especially Butch questioning his desires there’s no way Rickie doesn’t bust his tail everyday.
Sure he makes some commercials. So what?
A little time and work for a whole lot of money.
Why not? Most pros would.
Again, imo Rickie needs to work less on his swing and more in being a little smarter at critical times. It’s that simple.
Tom Edrington
Rory is smaller than Rickie…..Let’s see how Rickie plays this week in Mayakoba, at No. 48, he’s falling rapidly, pulling a Jordy on us!
baxter cepeda
Rory is like Casey, a Popeye of sorts.