‘Couldn’t Make Cuts’: After Stellar Performances, Rickie Fowler Opens Up About His Resurgence With Butch Harmon

The well-known American golfer Rickie Fowler, has shown improvement in his game as a result of his choice to work with eminent golf coach, Butch Harmon. Fowler took the crucial decision to enlist Harmon’s assistance last fall, and ever since, his performance has significantly improved. The results of their collaboration are clear as Fowler keeps moving up the leaderboard with a newfound sense of assurance and competence.

The golfing world eagerly anticipates Fowler’s forthcoming performances as his quest continues. A new chapter in Fowler’s career has begun with Harmon, and it has the potential to make him a formidable force on the golfing scene once again. Fans and fellow athletes alike are fascinated by the advancements he has made and are eager to see the next phase of Fowler’s incredible comeback.

Rickie Fowler’s redemption: Butch Harmon’s guidance sparks a triumphant comeback

Butch Harmon, a well-known golf coach, couldn’t help but wonder if he would get a call or a message from South Florida, indicating a probable reunion with Rickie Fowler, one of his former students. Waiting patiently for Fowler to take the crucial action, Harmon had refrained from making the opening move. The last several years have been difficult for Fowler, who has dropped out of the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking and endured a winless streak that has lasted more than four years.

At the Rocket Mortgage Classic two weeks ago, the pivotal moment was finally reached when Fowler, through sheer willpower, birdied the 72nd hole to force an exhilarating three-hole playoff in which he ultimately defeated Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin.

Fowler’s long-awaited success, though, has been building since last fall, when he made the brave choice to get in touch with Harmon.

Speaking from his home in Las Vegas, Harmon reflected on the trying time and acknowledged, “I had to bite my tongue a zillion times. It hurt me to watch him play and see how he was performing.” Fowler’s difficulties had a significant impact on his former instructor.

In the world rankings, Fowler had fallen to 185th, and he was beset by inconsistency and a lack of confidence. He made the call to Harmon to try to get his game back on track during this difficult moment.

“When he called me, he had reached rock bottom,” Harmon said. “Couldn’t make cuts. No consistency, no confidence in himself. We built his swing back to 2013. He had reverted back to a lot of old stuff. A flatter swing. He got stuck behind him. And so he went to work. A bigger turn, his club could get down the line and not laid off. He bought into it right away.”

The choice Fowler made to get in touch with Harmon ended up being a turning moment in his professional life. Together, they painstakingly rebuilt his swing, restoring it to its effective state in 2013. Fowler accepted the necessary adjustments, taking a larger turn and fixing weaknesses in his approach that had crept up.

Rickie Fowler’s Journey: A Quest for Change and Triumph

The rapid rise of Rickie Fowler in the world of golf can be credited to his willingness to make challenging choices, such as looking for a different perspective to help him improve. Fowler believed that in order to turn his potential into success, he needed a new perspective, despite the significant skills he had gained from his prior instructor, John Tillery.

Fowler acknowledged Tillery’s contributions and voiced his sadness that their collaboration had not produced the anticipated outcomes. Their attempts failed to generate long-lasting momentum, with encouraging weeks frequently being followed by failures. Fowler understood that he needed to make a change in order to realize his full potential, and that’s when he decided to consult the illustrious Butch Harmon.

The process of reinventing himself started when Harmon enlisted the help of his brother, Craig Harmon, a golf teacher who also happens to be a member of Fowler’s club, The Medalist. Craig was entrusted with filming Fowler’s swing and sending it to Butch Harmon, who had drastically cut back on his travel in recent years.

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The need for change was also acknowledged by Butch Harmon, a major champion himself who has coached players like Greg Norman, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, and Ernie Els. As his travel reduced and his participation with Sky Sports in the UK diminished, Fowler thought a change was required to jumpstart his recovery.

Following a lackluster performance in the 2022 Scottish Open, Fowler’s position in the world rankings has dropped to 148th. He has fallen further, to 185th place, by the start of his 2023 season at the Fortinet Championship. But after meeting Harmon in person, he changed his strategy, as evidenced by a tie for sixth place finish at the competition and a later tie for second place at the ZOZO Championship.

“It was more getting back to playing golf and having a few things we were focusing on,’’ Fowler stated. “And maybe take one thing on the course that I needed to make sure I focused on. From there, it was hit golf shots, play golf, and take the hands of the steering wheel a little bit.’’

Fowler has continuously had great results since the year 2023 began, achieving 13 top-20 finishes, including six top-10s. Notably, he had chances to win both the Travelers Championship and the U.S. Open before finally succeeding at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.

Fowler’s outstanding play continued at the Genesis Scottish Open, where he remained competitive after the first two rounds, hovering around the top 10. Fowler hopes to improve on his previous success at Royal Liverpool, where he came in second place to Rory McIlroy in the 2014 British Open.

What’s your take on Rickie Fowler’s comeback story? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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