Rickie Fowler shares message to fans after Rocket Mortgage Classic win

Rickie Fowler waited a long time between PGA Tour victories. On Sunday, though, the 34-year-old was back on top, winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic and ending a drought that stretched four years.

Fowler drained a birdie putt on the first playoff hole to edge out Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin and claim the Rocket Mortgage Classic victory. It was his first win since the WM Phoenix Open in 2019.

Through four rounds, Fowler carded -24 for the tournament, tying Morikawa and Hadwin to force the playoff. He needed just one playoff hole to hoist the trophy over his head once again.

Following the tournament, Fowler had a special message to all the fans and supporters.

“Just, thanks to everyone for the support over the years,” Fowler said. “Especially the last few, we’ve been struggling. This one feels good and this one is for all of you.”

“This one’s for all of you” 🏆

A special thank you message from your champion, @RickieFowler. pic.twitter.com/nAj9lOdAil

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 2, 2023

Sunday’s win at Detroit Golf Club marked Fowler’s sixth on the PGA Tour. It also comes just a few weeks after the star found himself in the thick of the race during the U.S. Open, earning the right to compete for his first major championship.

Fowler came up short in that event, but it appears to have sparked some momentum. With just one major championship remaining, Fowler will undoubtedly have plenty of confidence heading into this year’s Open Championship.

He’ll undoubtedly be a fan favorite, too.

Rickie Fowler’s funny first-round confession

Had Fowler not pulled through in the playoff on Sunday, the golfer might’ve blamed the tournament loss on a bathroom emergency that hit him during the first round. Seriously.

Fowler opened the Rocket Mortgage Classic by shooting a 5-under-par 67 on Thursday. But his round could’ve been even better, ending the round with back-to-back bogeys. When asked about the issue with those final two holes to conclude Round 1, Fowler provided a very honest answer.

“To be perfectly honest, I had to go to the bathroom pretty badly,” Fowler said of his bogey-bogey finish on Day 1. “There weren’t many bathrooms the last five holes, so I was a little shaky coming in. Not to necessarily blame the finish on that, but it didn’t help.”

Turns out, those two strokes were incredibly important. Just parring those final two holes on the first day would’ve (theoretically) allowed Fowler to hoist the trophy without the playoff hole.

But, it worked out in the end. Despite the unfortunate conclusion to his first 18, Fowler still won this week’s tournament.