The one-time poster-boy of the PGA Tour, Rickie Fowler, admits he’s yet to decide whether or not he will compete in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational.
The American, who’s fallen to 146th in the world golf rankings, has been given his fair share of sponsor’s invitations in recent months in a bid to resuscitate his faltering PGA Tour career.
Fowler, now 33, tees up at this week’s PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club looking for an unlikely first Major but his name remains very much linked to Greg Norman’s start-up series that’s set to have its opening event at the Centurion Club from June 9-11.
That date coincides with the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open and with the Tour already denying its members permission to compete in LIV Golf’s conflicting event, Fowler admits he’s been doing a bit of fence sitting as he weighs up the pros and cons of this apparent us or them scenario.
“To be straightforward with you guys, I haven’t necessarily made a decision one way or the other. I’ve mentioned in the past, do I currently think that the PGA Tour is the best place to play? I do. Do I think it can be better? Yes.
“So I think it’s an interesting position. Obviously there’s the LIV and Premier [Golf League], as well. These tours or leagues or whatever—however you want to classify or call them—they wouldn’t really be coming up if they didn’t see that there was more opportunity out there. I’ve always looked at competition being a good thing. It’s the driving force of our game. You know, being able to have games with guys at home, that’s how I always grew up is competing. I think competition ultimately makes people better, whether it’s business, sport.
“So it’s interesting, that’s for sure.”
Asked if he was aware of the possible consequences should he tee-up at next month’s event in London without the permission of the Tour, Fowler admitted that he expected there would be some, though he believes certain categories of players looking for a payday may not care about the repercussions of such a move one way or the other.
“I know there’s some guys that are probably in a position where the consequence may not matter,” Fowler added.
“They may just be ready to go play and not look back type of thing and see how things come full circle. Like I said, it’s an interesting time. I’ve always thought that competition is a good thing, and these leagues or tours wouldn’t be coming up or popping up if they didn’t see kind of those opportunities out there.”
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