Rickie Fowler’s 2021 hasn’t begun as he’d hoped, with just one top-20 finish in five starts leaving him now sitting 65th in the Official World Golf Rankings.

As an appearance at the 2021 Masters event looks more and more unlikely, the 32-year-old this week opened up on his frustrations with his game and himself, telling reporters before this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational:

“It’s very frustrating. It’s made it at times tough between Joe and I on the course. We have a great relationship, we have known each other for a long time, but when I’m out there, and I’m not hitting shots that I’m visualizing and seeing, it’s hard.

It’s tough for all of us that are involved, from my caddie, to my wife—she’s having to deal with me at home.”

In a strange twist, Fowler’s openness about his frustration has led to the 6-time major champ, now turned golf analyst Nick Faldo taking a swipe at the Californian.

In a tweet responding to Fowler’s words in an article on Golf Digest, Faldo sarcastically posted: “Good news is if he misses the Masters he can shoot another six commercials that week!”

Faldo’s tweet has split users on the social media site, with some people describing the comments as “unnecessary” and “lacking respect”, while others have interpreted the statmenet as playful ribbing.

With Rickie needing to crack the top-50 in the world to qualify for the Masters, maybe Faldo’s comment will spark the revival needed, starting this week at Bay Hill.

Brooks Koepka and Claude Harmon III’s split was a surprise when it was announced in January, and the swing coach has given his view on the break up this week on The Filthy Lipout Golf Podcast.

On the podcast, Harmon III stated that he believed that Brooks “wanted to hear something different”, bringing an end to their highly successful 8-year spell.

“I just got fired by Brooks Koepka. I was with Brooks for eight years. You know, I think you get players that say ‘Listen, I’m just tired of hearing the same thing’ and I’ve always been one that would say, ‘Well listen, I’m not gonna make stuff up, I can try and tell you something different but we kind of know what you do as a player and if you’ve had success.’

You know Brooks had an eight-year run of some incredible golf, and I think Brooks is at a stage of his career having gone through an injury where maybe he wants to hear something different and that kind of stuff happens.”

Harmon was told he was being let go by Koepka the Wednesday after the Masters.

Since the split, Koepka has won his first Tour event since 2019 at the Phoenix Open and backed that up with a runner-up finish last week at the WGC-Workday Championship.

Bryson DeChambeau has been a trailblazer in the game of golf over the past 18 months, and this week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, we could well see the golf scientist attempt to drive a par 5.

The 6th hole at Bay Hill measures 555-yards; however, to carry the lake with the drive and hit the green, Bryson would need to fly the ball approximately 340-yards.

C/o: @BarstoolBanks

What’s more, Bryson has already committed to trying his luck on the hole this week if there is a little bit of downhill wind, telling Golf.com last month:

“If I play this year I will definitely do it. No. 6 at Bay Hill is one of those I’ve been eyeing. I think I can do some pretty cool things on it.”

A few players have unsuccessfully attempted to pull off the shot in the past, most notably back in 1998 when John Daly famously made an 18 on the hole. You can check out Daly’s disaster below.

John Daly went FULL Tin Cup at Bay Hill’s 6th hole back in 1998. pic.twitter.com/cAkH3t9TqX

— Skratch (@Skratch) March 10, 2019

If Bryson does pull off the shot, it also brings the remarkable 4-under par on a hole ‘Condor’ into the conversation.