Rickie Fowler has not featured competitively since missing the cut at The Open Championship in July, but will make a comeback to the PGA Tour later this week in Mississippi
Rickie Fowler has admitted he is hoping for a ‘fresh start’ on the PGA Tour this week, as he makes his competitive return after three months away from the golf course.
Fowler’s last start came in July at The Open Championship, where he struggled to find his best form, ending the event at Royal Troon in 71st at 13-over-par. On the back of a tough week in Scotland, Fowler has not been seen since on the PGA Tour, missing the 3M Open and Wyndham Championship, before failing to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs.
His time away from competition has not been quiet though, after the 35-year-old and his wife Allison Stokke welcomed their second daughter, Nellie into the world in August.
Nearly two months on, Fowler’s focus returns to the golf course, and after a difficult run last campaign, the American is hoping for a change of form after some time away. “It kind of feels a little bit like a fresh start,” Fowler claimed ahead of this week’s Sanderson Farms Championship.
“Like I said, excited to kind of get back into it, just play a few events, the reminder of the fall and December, and get ready for next year.” The championship kicks off the FedEx Cup fall season, which sees players who finished outside the top-125 in the standings compete for their PGA Tour future moving into 2025.
The event is a new one on the schedule of Fowler, who is on the entry list for the first time. And whilet his future is secured for another campaign thanks to victory at the RBC Heritage last year, the American star is using this period to hopefully shake off some rust that might remain from his time off.
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“I’m looking forward to it,” the six-time PGA Tour winner commented. “Like I said, to come here and, one, looking to play well, but at the same time just coming off of some downtime and shake some rust off and hopefully there’s not much to shake off… It’s been a while.
“It’s nearly three months now. I’ve definitely enjoyed time at home, getting into much more of a routine there, which is something that we rarely get to do, not being at home for extended periods of timing, so I have enjoyed that with the new addition and just being much more of a dad and being home.
“I guess the last month and a half or so I’ve gotten back more into working on the game and getting ready to come here. It was odd packing, back to life on the road.” In 20 starts last season, Fowler managed to break into the top-20 just twice, the first at his title defence at the RBC Heritage, and the second coming at the Travelers Championship.
In that time the 35-year-old also missed six cuts, leaving him 70 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), a world away from his best form. Whilst he is not playing for his PGA Tour future in the coming weeks, returning to his former self is a target Fowler is aiming for. “Luckily for me, having won last year, I’m safe on certain things, but there’s definitely things for me to play for,” he commented.
“Obviously to win and put myself in a better situation, get myself back in a good spot World Ranking-wise, ultimately stay inside Top 125, be in The Players. Plenty to play for, but at the same time, it’s not life or death. For me coming off that bit of downtime and refreshed and ready to go, I’m looking forward to playing well and kind of building a little bit better platform than where I was last year and put myself in a better position to have a little more excitement, build some momentum and confidence going into the ’25 season.”