HOYLAKE (England) — Rickie fowler remembers playing at the 2014 British Open, held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. He was second behind Rory McIlroy on Sunday, but never really looked like a threat.
Fowler tends to think back on British Opens from the past and remembers Muirfield, where a missed cut stuck in his mind. Fowler met Butch Harmon at the 2013 Open for the first. He doesn’t know if he received the number from Phil Mickelson, or Jim “Bones Mackay”, his former caddie. But after consulting Joe Skovron, he decided it was time to rebuild his swing and get a second pair of eyes. Fowler’s long-time instructor Barry McDonnell died in May 2011 Fowler’s grief was so deep that he could not speak at McDonnell’s funeral. He had also been practicing his swing alone.
Harmon was at Muirfield to work with his players and do TV commentary. But he took a few minutes in the afternoon to watch Fowler throw balls. This is how almost every coach-player relationship begins. Harmon taught him some drills that would help improve his position and back swing.
Fowler remembered: “I wouldn’t call it an accomplishment because I wasn’t hitting the ball very well, but I knew we had to do some work and that’s where we started.”
Fowler was so unable to locate the clubface, he even asked Harmon: “Are You Trying to Make Me Look Bad?”
Harmon snapped, “I don’t think you did that by yourself the last two days.”
Fowler liked Harmon’s straight-shooting style. Fowler and Harmon had a successful relationship, despite never having won a major. Fowler reached No. In 2016, Fowler reached No. 4 in the world and became a regular top-50 golfer. Fowler learned not long after Harmon and McDonnell hooked up that McDonnell told the guys on the driving range, where he had taught Fowler, that Harmon shared McDonnell’s old-school technique and that Harmon was the best instructor to work alongside Fowler once he left.
Fowler commented, “It’s nice to have Barry’s approval.”
Fowler stayed in Harmon’s stable up until 2019, when he stopped traveling to PGA Tour tournaments. His game deteriorated in the years that followed. Fowler was unable to finish in the top 10 for 29 straight events, and his ranking fell from 185 to. In October, Fowler reunited Harmon. Johnson Wagner of Golf Channel analyzed Fowler’s swing at the CJ Cup in 2021, where he finished top-10 during his slump. He compared that to Fowler’s current technique, with the changes Harmon made.
His clubhead was a mess. Johnson explained that it was almost like under his shoulder blade. Right now, the clubface is in an excellent position. It is perfectly parallel. It’s a big change that he implemented in less than 12 months.”
Fowler’s improvement can be measured by the fact that he has rediscovered old magic, and has returned to No. Fowler is currently ranked No. 22 in the World. He shared the lead on the 54th hole at the U.S. Open in Detroit last month, ending his four-year-long winless streak. Fowler says links golf is his favorite and is ready to take on the British Open 10 years after his first lesson with Harmon. It would be the biggest event in this area since the Beatles if Fowler won on Sunday at Royal Liverpool. It takes a special breed to win a major, and Johnson wonders if Fowler possesses “the killer instinct.”
Wagner stated on The Five Clubs Podcast that he doesn’t believe he will do anything to defeat you. “Even though he won Rocket Mortgage in a playoff, he still made that putt and just stood there looking relieved. Give me a hand pump, give some fire.”
The Champion Golfer of Year is a four-time major champion, and has finally been able break through for talented players like David Duval and Darren Clarke. Fowler may be the next to break through, especially since Harmon has stopped making him look bad and is now looking good.
