Rickie Fowler Bio
Rick Yutaka Fowler, born on December 13, 1988, is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He was the number one ranked amateur golfer in the world for 36 weeks in 2007 and 2008, and he reached a career high of fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking on January 24, 2016. Fowler is one of only four golfers to shoot 62 in a major championship, achieving the feat at the 2023 U.S. Open, played at the Los Angeles Country Club.
Early Life and Background
Rick Yutaka Fowler was born and raised in Murrieta, California. He attended Murrieta Valley High School, where he played golf for years almost entirely on a driving range and is largely self-taught. In his senior year, Fowler won the SW League Final and led his team to the state final in 2007. His middle name, Yutaka, comes from his maternal grandfather, who is Japanese, while his maternal grandmother is Navajo Native American. He has also worn orange on the final day of tournaments in honor of Oklahoma State University.
Path to Golf
After high school, Fowler attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, where he posted his first collegiate victory at the Fighting Illini Invitational in October 2007. In the summer of 2005, he won the Western Junior and competed in the U.S. Amateur, and in 2008 he received the Ben Hogan Award as the top amateur golfer in the country. Fowler represented the United States at both the 2007 and 2009 Walker Cup, winning four matches in the second appearance as the United States won by a seven-point margin.
Rickie Fowler Career
Early Career (2009-2010)
In 2009, Fowler turned professional and signed a multi-year equipment deal with Titleist. He earned his PGA Tour card for 2010 through qualifying school after recording several runner-up finishes on the Nationwide Tour and PGA Tour, including a playoff loss at the Frys.com Open. In 2010, Fowler was chosen as a captain’s pick for the U.S. Ryder Cup team at age 21, becoming the youngest American Ryder Cup player of all time.
Fowler also signed a clothing deal with Puma in 2010 and finished the season with three PGA Tour runner-up finishes, including the Waste Management Phoenix Open and the Memorial Tournament. His strong play carried him into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking, and he won the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (2011-2014)
Fowler earned his first professional win in October 2011 at the Kolon Korea Open on the OneAsia Tour. In May 2012, he won the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte on the first extra hole of a sudden-death playoff, defeating Rory McIlroy and D. A. Points with a birdie. This was his first PGA Tour victory, and it moved him into the top 25 of the world rankings.
The 2014 season was Fowler’s most consistent in the majors. He finished tied for second at both the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 and The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. At the PGA Championship at Valhalla, Fowler tied for third, becoming only the third player, along with Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, to finish in the top 5 in all four majors in a single calendar year. He was, however, the first to do so without winning one of those majors.
PGA Tour Prime (2015-2019)
In May 2015, Fowler won The Players Championship in a three-hole aggregate playoff over Sergio García and Kevin Kisner, marking his first PGA Tour win in over three years. He followed it up with victories at the Scottish Open on the European Tour and the Deutsche Bank Championship on the PGA Tour.
In January 2016, Fowler won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, lifting him to a career-high fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking. In February 2017, he won The Honda Classic, preserving a 54-hole lead for the first time in his career and moving back into the top 10 of the world rankings. At the 2018 Masters Tournament, Fowler finished second to champion Patrick Reed by one stroke.
In February 2019, Fowler won the Waste Management Phoenix Open after regaining a four-stroke lead in the final round. Later that year, he played on the U.S. team at the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne, where the Americans won 16-14.
Comeback Era (2020-2023)
After struggling for form through the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Fowler made key changes in the off-season, parting ways with long-time caddie Joe Skovron and swing coach John Tillery, while bringing back Butch Harmon as his swing coach. The changes produced improved results, including a runner-up finish at the Zozo Championship in late 2022, his best Tour finish since 2019.
In July 2023, Fowler won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in a playoff over Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin, claiming his first PGA Tour title since the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open. The win signaled a strong return to form for the veteran golfer.
Driving Style and Strengths
Fowler is known for an aggressive, attacking style of play and a creative short game developed during years of self-taught practice on the driving range. He pairs that approach with strong course management, and his career playoff record on the PGA Tour stands at 3-2.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of Fowler’s signature achievements came at the 2023 U.S. Open, where he shot a 62 at the Los Angeles Country Club, joining a small group of only four golfers to record that score in a major championship. He also became the third player to record top-5 finishes in all four majors in a single calendar year during the 2014 season.
Rickie Fowler Career Wins
Across his professional career, Rick Yutaka Fowler has accumulated 10 verified professional wins, including 6 on the PGA Tour, 2 on the European Tour, 1 on the OneAsia Tour, and 1 in other competition.
PGA Tour Highlights
Fowler’s first PGA Tour win came at the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship, where he birdied the first playoff hole to defeat Rory McIlroy and D. A. Points. His most recent PGA Tour victory came at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic, ending a winless drought that stretched back to the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open. In between, he also won The Players Championship in 2015, the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2015, and The Honda Classic in 2017.
Other Wins and Performances
Fowler has also won twice on the European Tour, at the 2015 Scottish Open and the 2016 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, and once on the OneAsia Tour at the 2011 Kolon Korea Open.
Rickie Fowler Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Rick Yutaka Fowler carries a multicultural family heritage. His middle name, Yutaka, comes from his maternal grandfather, who is Japanese, while his maternal grandmother is Navajo Native American.
Personal Life
Fowler resides in Jupiter, Florida, having relocated from Las Vegas following the 2010 season. He started dating track and field amateur athlete Allison Stokke in 2017, became engaged in June 2018, and married her in October 2019. The couple has two daughters.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 PGA Tour season, Rick Yutaka Fowler will look to build on the momentum of his 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic victory and his strong short-game form. With Butch Harmon back in his corner as swing coach and Ricky Romano on the bag, Fowler will aim to return to the top of the leaderboard in the major championships, where he has already recorded multiple top-5 finishes at every major.
Fowler’s focus in 2025 is expected to include contention in the four majors, particularly the Masters Tournament, where he has finished as runner-up, and the U.S. Open, where he shot his memorable 62 at Los Angeles Country Club. He will also be a candidate for the U.S. team at the Ryder Cup, depending on form and qualification.
With a career record of 10 professional wins and a renewed comfort on the course, Fowler enters 2025 seeking to add to his legacy and contend for a first major championship.
