19th Hole

Rickie Fowler gives surprising update amid heavy links to LIV Golf

Published

2 years ago

Jun 16, 2022

As players prepared for the third major of the season, fears were that those returning from last week’s inaugural LIV event would attract all the attention.

Related: Jordan Spieth reportedly blanks Kevin Na in awkward exchange at US Open

However, there seems to have been some genuine respect shown by those involved with the publicity-seeking rebel tour and the world of golf looks forward to four days of tough competition at Brookline.

Related: Rickie Fowler provides stunning admission about playing golf with Michael Jordan

This does not, of course, stop rumor and speculation as who may be the next player to jump ship and Sky Sports caught up with one of those names continually banded about – Rickie Fowler.

Formerly ranked world number seven, Fowler is at Brookline as second alternate, and was asked on Tuesday what life was like being in that position.

The 33-year-old conceded, “Can be a little out of place, being an alternate..playing nine today, play nine tomorrow…we’ll see what happens”

Was he hoping someone puts a toe out of place so he can grab a starting slot?

“I don’t wish bad on anyone” said Fowler. “But, you know, if two slots open up…..we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

Fowler, former world amateur number one and winner of five PGA Tour and two European tour titles was then asked the obvious.

He gave his view on being mentioned as a candidate for the “huge topic in golf at the moment”, after several sources previously reported that the 33-year-old was set to sign with the LIV Golf Series…and it contradicted those reports.

“Unfortunately, there has been a lot of false accusations. I haven’t made any sort of decisions.”

Having been inside the world’s top-50 for 10 consecutive years from 2010, and in the top-100 over the last couple of seasons, he clearly has an affection for the PGA Tour, but admits there is a need to change.

“I believe the PGA Tour is the best place to play, has been and certainly is. I would love to see it be that way in the future but some things do need to evolve, change. So that’s kind of where I’m at”

After admitting the PGA Tour is becoming “more and more divided”, he mentions that, “with LIV, it is a very different format.”

Fowler would like to see them “co-exist”, and expands on that.

“I mean, you have traditional, 72 holes of golf, and then then 54 with the team aspect, so, yeah, I’m just trying to learn as much as I can and enjoy playing on tour and see what happens.”

Having been runner-up in the 2014 US open at Pinehurst, and with further second place finishes finishes at The Masters and Open Championship, as well as 3rd at the PGA Championship, Fowler has excellent back-form in majors.

However, with only four top-10 finishes in his last couple of seasons of regular play, he has drifted to a place just inside the world’s top 150.

It looks all but assured that Rickie won’t get the chance to tee it up this week, as he remains second alternate just hours away from the opening day’s action at Brookline.

You can catch the full interview here.

3-time PGA Tour winner calls for LIV to buy Champions Tour to fix ‘joke’ purses

Published

5 hours ago

Mar 27, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

While speaking on the Subpar podcast, former PGA Tour winner and current PGA Tour Champions player Chris DiMarco said he hopes LIV buys the Champions Tour.

“We’re kind of hoping that LIV buys the Champions Tour,” he said.

“Let’s play for a little real money out here. I mean this is kind of a joke when we’re getting $2 million. There were like seven guys last week from TPC (Sawgrass, at the $25 million PLAYERS Championship) that made more money than our purses.”

In 2024, the Champions Tour had a total of $67 million in prize money over the course of 24 events.

DiMarco also defended LIV players for taking the money and said he would take it also.

“They wanted to play for a lot of money, and they deserve it. They have had some great careers, why not go and get some money?”

DiMarco also offered insight on Graeme McDowell’s move to LIV.

“I saw Graeme McDowell at the Old Memorial Pro Member, and he goes, ‘Listen, I went up to Jay Monahan and said I love the tour but I am struggling to keep my card and these guys are offering me all this money and less golf. I’m sorry, I’m going.’ And I do not blame him one bit, and I said I would have too.”

DiMarco was ranked as high as 6th in the world in 2006.

New here?

Find out more about GolfWRX and the GolfWRX forums.

Your Reaction?

LIKE39
LEGIT6
WOW2
LOL2
IDHT1
FLOP5
OB3
SHANK50

19th Hole

‘It won’t win you golf tournaments’ – Golf analyst rips Charley Hull’s course management

Published

7 hours ago

Mar 27, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

Charley Hull came just short of her third LPGA Tour victory over the weekend at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship when she played her last two holes at 3 over to slip all the way to 10th on the leaderboard.

After the round, Hull was blasted by Sky Sports commentator and former LPGA Tour player Trish Johnson for her lack of golf course management.

While speaking on the Sky Sports Golf podcast, Johnson spoke harshly of Hull.

“I’m probably her harshest critic, because I know how good she is. She doesn’t win anywhere near enough for her talent, and she doesn’t get involved enough, in all honestly.

“The thing with Charley is that you’re never going to change her. I read something the other day that said how much she loves the game and it’s her love of the game [that costs her]. She’s never going to change and she’s just going to go for every pin.

“In theory that’s great, but it won’t win you golf tournaments, it just won’t because she’s not that much better than anybody else. If you put Charley against Nelly Korda, then I’m picking Nelly every single day of the week.”

Johnson also made a fascinating comparison between Hull and a famous male golfer, John Daly.

“Golf-wise that’s the way she plays the game and it’s a little bit like watching John Daly I suppose.”

“There’s something that John Daly had that made him a major winner and a winner, but Charley is kind of lacking that. Her talent is not in question, but maybe her application is. Maybe it’s just the case of her never changing and that will cost her golf tournaments, there’s no two ways about it. You cannot go for every pin because that’s the way you play and it being fun, as other players are better than that and you have to have course management.”

Hull is still only 27, and therefore has plenty of time to work on her flaws to achieve the success her talent should allow.

New here?

Find out more about GolfWRX and the GolfWRX forums.

Your Reaction?

LIKE24
LEGIT8
WOW5
LOL1
IDHT0
FLOP0
OB0
SHANK21

19th Hole

Former agent lifts lid on being fired by ‘zombie’ Tiger Woods

Published

7 hours ago

Mar 27, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

Discussing his new book “Rainmaker” with the Daily Mail, Tiger Woods’ former agent, Hughes Norton, recounted the events leading up to and after his split with the 15-time major champion.

Norton was abruptly fired by Woods in 1998 after his 1997 Masters win and monster deal with Nike.

In the book, Norton talks about the way Tiger views his relationships, calling him a “zombie.”

“The solace I can take, which doesn’t provide much, is this: He was an equal opportunity zombie with relationships, his swing coaches, his lawyer, the guy negotiated the IMG representation deal, with caddies, When it’s over, it’s over.”

Norton added:

“It is the way he terminates relationships with everyone. Whether it’s girlfriends, whether it’s his former golf coaches. It’s ironic, really. In a way he’s so good at confrontation on the golf course. If he’s playing you, he will beat your brains out every single time.

“But when it comes to confronting things like me and other people that are in his life, he has no social skills whatsoever. It’s maddening, actually.”

After he was fired by Woods, Norton was let go by IMG, which he believes was due to Woods’ influence.