When Rickie Fowler said "there's a lot more to life" other than getting a win on the PGA Tour

With the Rocket Classic just a day away, Rickie Fowler's statement during this event two years ago is still worth remembering. The golfer won this PGA Tour event as a dad back in 2023. The Tour recently shared a clip of Fowler's interview following the win.

With all the signature events over, players will be playing at the Detroit Golf Club next, for the 2025 Rocket Classic. As per the official full field list, Fowler will be among the pros battling it out for the $9,600,000 purse.

Two years ago, Rickie Fowler stepped up at the Rocket Classic for the first time since he became a father. For the first time in four years (since his 2019 WM Phoenix Open win), Fowler earned his first PGA Tour victory after a three-man playoff.

PGA Tour shared a clip of his interview with Amanda Balionis, where the golfer could be seen celebrating with his wife. While holding his daughter Maya, Rickie Fowler said:

"It's hard to really put it all into words. Obviously, a lot of good stuff this year and been playing some some really good golf... I knew it was just a matter of time with how I've been playing... I've had a couple tough weekends where I've had a chance." "Yeah winning is great but there's a lot more to life than that. Tough times only make you stronger," he added.

Take a look at Rickie Fowler's clip shared by the PGA Tour on Instagram:

Fowler started his final round with a lead, and through the first seven holes, he secured three birdies. After completing the 72nd hole with a final round score of 68, he was tied with Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin.

Fowler clinched the 2023 Rocket Classic title after he holed out a 12-foot long birdie on the 18th playoff hole. Following that 2023 victory, Fowler has struggled to secure a win in his career.

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When Brandel Chamblee commented on Rickie Fowler's performance

The five-time PGA Tour winner has showcased near misses and no wins for the last two years on the Tour. According to veteran golf analyst Brandel Chamblee, it all happened when Fowler changed his swing coach.

In an interview on March 12, 2025, Chamblee talked about the situation Rickie Fowler is facing. The golfer had Butch Harmon as his swing coach for three years, but chose John Tillery for three years. In 2022, he again switched to Harmon. Chamblee referred to this and said (quoted by Bunkered):

"I would have listened to the advice that golf professionals gave my father. They would tell him, ‘Don’t ever let anybody mess with his golf swing’..." "You know, Rickie Fowler started messing around with a new swing coach and lost his game," he added.

For the last two years, Fowler has struggled to secure a win. In 2024, he missed the cut five times, and this year, Fowler missed the cut at the PGA Championship. In 2025, he had only one top 10 finish, which was the T7 at the 2025 Travelers Championship.

Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar