It would be fair to describe Rickie Fowler as being on the fence concerning a possible move from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf, with rumours continuing to swirl regarding his future.
The Californian has long been candid in his belief that the PGA Tour "has been and certainly is" still the best place to play golf. However, on the same day a group of the PGA's biggest names met to discuss how best to evolve on its side, golf's long-time superpower didn't escape Fowler's scrutiny.
The pro veteran of 13 years repeated the sentiment he said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has heard from him in person. That's to suggest the organisers in charge of golf's biggest brand could have done more to avoid the hysteria witnessed in recent months.
“I’ve told the Tour and Jay when I’ve met with them that I don’t think they have handled it very well at all," Fowler told Golf Week. "A lot of the stuff that has happened in the last six months to a year and is starting to happen, to me they are reacting to it versus when the talks of Premier Golf League and LIV came about is when they should have been proactive and gotten in front of it."
Fowler, 33, is currently ranked 173rd in the world after previously reaching a career high of fourth in 2016. Two years prior to that, he finished among the top five of all four majors, but his prospects have dimmed considerably in recent years.
Nevertheless, Fowler is reportedly one of those names offered a 'mind-boggling' payday to leave the PGA in the past and jump ship for a competition funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. He remains one of the most popular players in the world despite a lack of success on the greens, building a brand through his personality and clothing style.
What could the PGA have done differently to limit LIV's impact? Let us know in the comments section.
That profile could be put at risk if he were to leave golf's establishment behind for such a controversial competitor. Saudi Arabia has a poor record of abusing human rights and gender inequality, with many fans opposing LIV Golf as an attempt at 'sportswashing' to improve the Kingdom's global image.
“That’s a big thing that I’ve had to think about," replied Fowler when pressed on the potential for public outcry if he were to defect. "I’ve had a great following, I’ve had a great relationship with the media, TV and the Tour and that’s something I don’t want to ruin."
While there may be strides for the PGA to make before its participants are content with the product, Fowler posted a message of positivity following Wednesday's meeting in Wilmington, Delaware: “I think things are in a good place.”
