Unlike Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler Becomes the Bigger Person With 9-Word Reaction to PGA Tour Snub

“We tried to pick players who would help grow the game and maintain a fair and balanced approach,” Arnold Palmer Group’s vice-president of partnerships, and the iconic golfer’s grandson Sam Saunders had said while talking about the Bay Hill Club and Lodge event slated from March 6-9. However, looks like Rickie Fowler, and Jordan Spieth aren’t necessarily helping grow the game this year. Meaning? Both the veterans have unfortunately failed to make it to the Arnold Palmer Invitational’s four PGA Tour sponsor exemptions list, prompting one to lament, and the other to fulfill a much-needed wish…

But, before we get to that… Notably, Fowler didn’t manage to crack the top 50 in last year’s FedEx Cup season-long points standings. Spieth, on the other hand, had to deal with a wrist injury that sidelined him for much of last year. You see, for Spieth, there was still a chance to earn a spot through a top-five finish at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches. Unfortunately, he fell just short, finishing at ninth. Instead, the players who earned the four coveted spots were:

• Rafael Campos: Currently ranked No. 186, the last season’s Bermuda Championship winner reportedly “wrote an impassioned letter to tournament organizers” as per Golfweek.
•  Mackenzie Hughes: Who reportedly missed the Top-50 spot in last season’s automatic qualifiers, finishing 52nd. Currently ranked No. 67.
• Justin Rose: The highest ranked among the four at No. 36, Rose is a 2013 US Open champion. He’s also a longtime ambassador of MasterCard—the event’s sponsor since 1979.
• Min Woo Lee: Currently ranked No. 55th. Represented the President’s Cup International Team last year.

Talking about the selected players, Saunders further said, “At the end of the day, it’s who’s getting the ball in the hole the fastest that are the ones who get the opportunities. You can’t make everybody happy with exemptions. So you try to just do it as fair and balanced as possible.” Fowler and Spieth, on the other hand, had quite some contrasting reactions…

The 2015 US Open champion, clearly disappointed, told reporters last week, “I’m bummed not to be [at Bay Hill] next week. It’s been a great, great place for me, and I really wish I was getting that start, but I needed to play better injured golf last year, I guess.” Fowler, on the other hand, took the unfortunate situation in stride: It “gave me a little time to be at home,” he said.

He got to “spend some time with the family and get ready for this week. At the end of the day, they’re sponsor exemptions; they get to do whatever they want with them. You can argue or say one way or the other, but I need to play better where I’m not asking for invites. Yeah, it was a bummer not being there, but enjoyed some time at home to get ready for THE PLAYERS,” he continued.

Notably, after the birth of his second daughter, Nellie, in August 2024, Fowler now enjoys being home and spending time with his three girls (his wife and 2 daughters). Announcing Nellie’s arrival, he proudly said that he was with his family, right where he was supposed to be. The golfer has always prioritized his home life and is a family man at the core of his heart. When he won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2o23, he celebrated with his wife, Allison, and his daughter, Maya. Even though the long-awaited win meant a lot to him, he explained how there are more things to life than just golf. “At the end of the day, getting to hold her and hang with Maya and my wife … yeah, winning’s great, but there’s a lot more to life than that.”

In an interview with ‘Golfweek’, too, Fowler talked about prioritizing family over doing sponsorship things: “Time is valuable, and I don’t want to overextend myself. Ten years ago, single me, it was a lot easier to use that time for work-related stuff. Now, I want to make sure it’s worthwhile and with the right people. I don’t want to be a billboard or NASCAR driver type of thing, but I do want to have a good, core group of partners.” Just goes to show that he prioritizes his family now!

Having said that, notably, Fowler had a rather special relationship with Arnold Palmer. The 36-year-old, often described as the modern-day Palmer, looked up to him while growing up and enjoyed spending time with the legend. They were friends until Arnie passed away in 2016. 

Top Comment by Fan

He needs to get rid of his swing couch,got playing swing instead of golf, jorden go play golf

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Debate

Even though Jordan Spieth could not remain positive about being left out, he is certain he’ll go in the right direction in 2025 and become a better player. 

Jordan Spieth is optimistic about getting better in 2025

Spieth made his comeback at Pebble Beach in February after his wrist injury. When asked about it, he shared that he’s not focused on the wrist while on the course. “I just hope it starts feeling a bit more normal,” he said. “It’s not unstable like it was last year; it’s more about the scar tissue and inflammation.” He remains optimistic, noting that he now has a clearer understanding of his game compared to before.

“I feel more confident about what I do well and why I do it well,” he explained. “Back then, it felt like a gamble, but now, I know what works.” He now recognizes that getting back to his peak will take time and effort, but he’s already putting in the work. “I might need 20,000 reps instead of 10,000, but I’m already 15,000 in,” he said.

Spieth feels he’s making progress, particularly with his wrist, as there are no limitations on holding the club in the correct position. Despite his positive outlook, his performance hasn’t quite matched the expectations. After the first two rounds of the ongoing PLAYERS, Spieth has posted scores of 70 and 71, placing him tied for 36th on the leaderboard.

It’s clear Spieth is on the right path with his recovery, but the journey to fully regaining his form is ongoing. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs in the upcoming rounds. Do you think Spieth can make a strong comeback this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!