It’s no secret that, since his victory at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic, Rickie Fowler has, somewhat, struggled for form, with the American picking up just one top 10 finish in the last 12 months.
That result came at the Grant Thornton Invitational mixed event alongside Lexi Thompson, with Fowler’s best solo finish, since his victory, coming at the Tour Championship – A tie for 16th place
Many have wondered where the drop in form could have come from and, following a first round 66 at Detroit Golf Club, scene of his first PGA Tour win in four years, Fowler has revealed that he is battling a twitch in his putting, with the six-time PGA Tour winner even going as far as to call it a “yip”.
Speaking to Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis on Thursday, Fowler stated: “I would say over the last few years I’ve dealt with a little bit of my right hand having a little bit of twitch at times, which you could call it some sort of a ‘yip’, or there’s all kind of names for it.”
Obviously, the dreaded ‘Y’ word, which is enough to send a shiver down any golfer’s spine, was picked up on by Lewis, who pushed the American further on the matter, with Fowler adding “I’m fine saying it. When people have dealt with that, it makes it tough to trust hitting good putts.
“I was hitting a lot of putts that would start on line but it was more of a speed thing. Going back to cross-handed felt like it locks my right hand and wrist a little bit more to where I was able to use that as the driver purely for the touch and feel.”
Gaining three strokes on the greens in his first round, Fowler switched putters to much success in 2023, with the 35-year-old opting for an Odyssey Versa Jailbird that took the professional world by storm throughout the year.
In 2024, especially over the last month or so, Fowler has opted to experiment with his putting grip, something that he has done regularly throughout his established career. “I was trying going back to conventional and regular length for a little, then cross-handed the last three weeks or so,” stated Fowler.
“But it just seems to have helped a little bit with feel and touch, and that’s a big thing. Obviously starting the ball on line but controlling speed is another variable when it comes to putting, so I feel like I’ve done a good job…
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