Has Rickie Fowler ever won a major? Golfer's bounce-back year has him in contention at 2023 U.S. Open

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Rickie Fowler
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Rickie Fowler's last U.S. Open appearance prior to this year was in 2020. You wouldn't know it by how he played Thursday at Los Angeles Country Club.

Fowler starred on the tournament's first day, carding an 8-under 62 in a record-setting performance. The 62 was the lowest score in a single round at the U.S. Open and was just one stroke behind the course record of 61 set by Max Homa in 2013. 

Fowler's success put him at the top of the U.S. Open leaderboard. He was joined by Xander Schauffele, who turned in a 62 shortly after Fowler's day ended. The California natives are now well-positioned to make a run at a major title.

LIVE: Tracking results from the first round of the 2023 U.S. Open

This isn't the first time Fowler has found success on a major stage, but will this be the first time he takes home a major title? Here's what to know about Fowler's history at majors and how he overcame a years-long slump to get into contention at the 2023 U.S. Open.

Has Rickie Fowler ever won a major?

Rickie Fowler has never won a major in his career. He turned pro in 2009 and has been ranked as high as No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).

That said, Fowler has had plenty of success at major tournaments: 12 top-10 finishes. eight top-five finishes and three runner-up finishes. 

Tournament Best finish Year
Masters Tournament 2nd 2018
PGA Championship T-3rd 2014
U.S. Open T-2nd 2014
The Open Championship T-2nd 2014

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Rickie Fowler's U.S. Open history

Fowler has been hit-or-miss at the U.S. Open. Three of his 12 top-10 major finishes have come at the event, but he has also missed the cut four times in his 12 appearances in the tournament.

Fowler's last top-10 finish at the U.S. Open came in 2017. Here is how he has fared in his appearances at the major since first qualifying for it as an amateur in 2008.

Year Finish
2008 T-60th
2009 Missed cut
2010 Did not qualify
2011 Missed cut
2012 T-41st
2013 T-10th
2014 T-2nd
2015 Missed cut
2016 Missed cut
2017 T-5th
2018 T-20th
2019 T-43rd
2020 T-49th
2021 Did not qualify
2022 Did not qualify

Fowler did not qualify for the U.S. Open in 2021 and 2022. That period was the low point of a years-long slump that saw him fall out of the top 50 in the OWGR.

He has returned to form in 2023, which allowed him to return to the U.S. Open and put together a strong start.

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Inside Rickie Fowler's bounce-back PGA Tour season

Fowler entered the 2022-23 PGA Tour season ranked 176th in the world, but changes he made coming into the season have sparked his revival.

First, Fowler changed swing coaches, moving on from John Tillery and going back to his previous coach Butch Harmon.

"I love Tillery," Fowler said ahead of the Fortinet Championship in September, per the PGA Tour's website. "I can’t say a bad thing about him. I had to put the personal side away and just look at what’s best for me in the business of golf. We gave it all we had for three years.

MORE: Fowler part of golf history with low score at U.S. Open

“There was almost too much of a language barrier, in a way,” he added.

Fowler also changed caddies, moving on from his good friend Joe Skovron to PGA Tour veteran Ricky Romano. 

"He’s a good fit for me just because he’s someone I know, someone I know is a good player and I can trust his insight from the get-go," Fowler said of Romano, per Golfweek. "There won’t be necessarily a big learning curve."

Those changes worked. Fowler started the season by tying for sixth at the Fortinet Championship. In all, he has made 14 of 16 cuts this season and seems poised to make his 15th at the U.S. Open after his 8-under opening round.

Additionally, Fowler has finished in the top 20 in 11 of those events and tied for second at the ZOZO Championship in October. 

Event Finish
Fortinet Championship T-6th
Shriners Children's Open Missed cut
ZOZO Championship T-2nd
The CJ Cup T-34th
The American Express T-54th
Farmers Insurance Open T-11th
WM Phoenix Open T-10th
The Genesis Invitational T-20th
Arnold Palmer Invitational T-31st
THE PLAYERS Championship T-13th
Valero Texas Open T-10th
RBC Heritage T-15th
Wells Fargo Championship T-14th
PGA Championship Missed cut
Charles Schwab Challenge T-6th
The Memorial Tournament T-9th

His consistency has fueled his rise in the OWGR.

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Rickie Fowler's world ranking by year

Fowler is the 45th-ranked golfer in the world. That doesn't match his height as the fourth-best player in 2016, but it is a far cry from where he found himself after the 2021-22 PGA Tour season ended. He bottomed out at 176th overall in the OWGR before improving his ranking to 103rd by the end of the 2022 calendar year.

Year OWGR rank
2022 103
2021 85
2020 53
2019 23
2018 11
2017 7
2016 12
2015 6
2014 10
2013 40

Fowler's end-of-2023 ranking is on pace to be his highest since 2019. If he can continue to show well at the U.S. Open, he could make another big jump up.

Author(s)
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Jacob Camenker is a senior content producer at The Sporting News.
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