Why Rickie Fowler Has Little to Celebrate Despite Breaking Nightmare Masters Curse

Rickie Fowler will make his first Masters appearance in four years. Last year, Fowler was outside the top 50 (ranked 55) ahead of the Masters week. Two years ago, the six-time PGA Tour winner relied on a victory at the Valero Texas Open to qualify for the first major of the season. However, he failed to make the cut at TPC San Antonio.

In 2021, Fowler was outside the top 50 once again. That was also his first Major miss since arriving on the scene in 2011. While world no. 34 broke the accursed streak of missing the first major, Fowler needs a strong turnaround to convert his chances to a shot at earning his first green jacket. 

Not the best Masters prep for Rickie Fowler

Since his last victory at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic last July, Fowler has failed to break within the top 10 in any of his next 16 starts This season alone, the 35-year-old has yet to come within the top 30 so far. Fowler’s best finish is a T35 at the Genesis Invitational. 

At THE PLAYERS Championship, Rickie Fowler tied for the 68th spot, the sixth and last of the players who made the cut. The ongoing Valero Texas Open, the last event before the Masters, doesn’t show much hope either. Fowler posted a 4-over 76 in the opening round, tying for the 133rd spot in the 156-man field. 

The projected cutline is at 1-under or even par. Fowler needs to turn the tide overwhelmingly in his favor to avoid a disastrous crash out before heading to Augusta. Unfortunately, it’s not a case like Scottie Scheffler, whose putting came in his way, or Rory McIlroy, whose iron play has cost him dearly. Rather, Fowler is struggling on all fronts this year. 

Fowler’s iron game has taken the heaviest hit

Fowler’s Strokes Gained: Total ranks him 160th in the Tour (-1.058). A year ago, Fowler was 12th in SG: Total, gaining 1.426 strokes compared to the field. His SG: Approach to Green (-0.319) puts him way behind his peers at 146th. Strong with an iron, the six-time PGA Tour winner gained 0.740 strokes with his approach shots last year. Off the tee, Rickie Fowler is losing half a stroke (-0.584). Fowler is 144th in San Antonio (SG: Off the Tee, -1.862). At the Valero Texas Open, the Oklahoma product picked three bogeys and two double bogeys to slip to the bottom of the leaderboard.

As for the Masters, the PGA Tour Pro has three top-tens at Augusta, including a runner-up finish at the 2018 Masters, in addition to a T5 in 2014 and a T9 in 2019. Interestingly, in 2014, Fowler missed three consecutive cuts but also had two top-tens before going to Augusta. And, in 2019, Fowler headed to Georgia with silverware and a runner-up finish. 2018 was the only time when the Jupiter resident teed up at the Masters without a top-10 and managed a T5, nonetheless. 

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