Rickie’s Fowler returned to his former form in 2023. He rose more than 100 places to No. The final FedEx Cup rankings placed him at No. 14.
At the beginning of the new season, he had two sponsors missing – the Rocket Mortgage logo on his right sleeve and the Farmers Insurance logo on his right side. What does it mean to quote a signature line ad line, Rick?
Some speculated that Fowler was the next Tour pro who would jump ship to LIV Golf in order to get a guaranteed payout. LIV is sure to be interested in adding Fowler as one of golf’s top players. Fowler said in a telephone interview with Golfweek he has “zero plans” to move.
What happened to his long-standing relationship with Farmers Insurance, which sponsors the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines later this month in San Diego?
Fowler noted that the company had undergone a leadership change. “My contract expired and I was informed they were not looking to extend or renew,” Fowler stated. A new CEO may want to add his own touch to how the company spends marketing dollars. This is especially true if the leader is not a golfer. It was a great fit for them to take over Torrey. I was very happy that they took on the tournament, which was close to my hometown and where I grew. It was great to do the commercials over the years. I enjoyed working with them.
Fowler, however, said that he had not parted with Rocket Mortgage. The Detroit-based mortgage lender is the title sponsor for the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Fowler ended his streak of losing in July by winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Fowler’s contract with Rocket Mortgage also expired at the end the year.
He said, “We are working on something to move forward. It hasn’t yet been finalized.” He predicted that the logo of the mortgage company would return soon to his shirt. “I believe there’s a good chance that we will get the logo, and move forward in the partnership.”
Rickie Fowler poses for a photo with his trophy at the Detroit Golf Club after winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic 2023. (Photo: Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press)
Fowler wasn’t aware of the banter that was happening on social media, which led some to believe that his lack of logos meant that he would be joining LIV.
“You don’t have to worry,” he said. “I’ve never heard anyone talk so much on the phone. I was around Patrick Cantlay a bit during the off-season and the lead up to the event. They are putting a lot of effort and time into it. I was on the PAC in the past, but I have stayed out of the way as I trust the people who are there. “I’ve always trusted Jordan, Cantlay and Tiger, and have no plans to move.”
He called it a sad situation that players have to repeatedly declare their loyalty to Tour at every opportunity, but he understands that this is the current climate, especially after Jon Rahm left for LIV.
Fowler admitted, “I don’t check social media very often.” “I run my life through Instagram, but I rarely see anything being discussed there. It’s just the age in which we live. You can only believe so much because everything can be said. “I’m really excited about what’s to come for me, and the Tour. I appreciate all the effort and time these guys put into it.”
Fowler is still open to new opportunities, despite being one of the most sought-after players in the endorsement business.
“I don’t need to put a logo up. “I won’t do a deal until it’s something that I want to do and believe in,” he said. “Time is precious and I do not want to overextend myself. It was much easier for me to spend my time on work ten years ago when I was single. Now I want to be sure that it is worthwhile and that the right people are involved. I don’t really want to be a Nascar driver or a billboard, but I want a core group of good partners.
Fowler’s fans in San Diego are the big losers in this whole thing. He is scheduled to play at the American Express Open and plans to skip the Farmers Insurance Open. He’s expected to play two signature events – AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and Genesis Invitational – in the near future. In between he will return to the WM Phoenix Open.
He said, “I don’t like to play for more than three consecutive weeks. It just happened.”
