Report: PGA Tour fan favourite Rickie Fowler heading for surgery after season ends

Multiple PGA Tour winner Rickie Fowler is headed for surgery after the season ends, according to a report.

Per Doug Bell of ESPN, the American golfer has been struggling with a sinus infection since the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy. 

Fowler was named as one of captain Zach Johnson's wildcards for the biennial showdown in Rome but barely played that week. 

He played in the opening foursomes session alongside Collin Morikawa, with the duo losing 2&1, and Fowler did feature again until the Sunday singles. 

It was a disappointing week for Fowler on a personal note, given that season he had returned to the winner's circle on the PGA Tour for the first time in four years and played in the final group at the U.S. Open. 

Fowler's form has dipped again in recent years, to the point that he hasn't qualified for the Masters since 2024.

But hopefully the surgery will resolve the issue and allow Fowler to return to full health as he looks to rediscover the form that made him one of the PGA Tour's standout players when he was in his 20s.

The news comes as Fowler is enjoying a strong week at the Rocket Classic in Detroit.

He will enter today's final round just three shots behind 54-hole leader Davis Riley as he searches for his first victory since 2023.

Coincidentally, the Rocket Classic was the site of Fowler's last triumph, where he ended a four-year wait for a PGA Tour title.

Rocket Companies have decided that they will no longer sponsor the annual PGA Tour event, though, meaning that this will be the final edition of the tournament. 

Fowler described that decision as "a bummer" knowing this was the last one. 

"It's been fun for me to have a partnership with Rocket and see this event make its way here because that was always a dream of theirs to have an event back in Detroit, and to see it continue to grow over the years, felt like it just kept getting bigger and better," he said.

"It is a bummer, but it’s been a lot of fun, like I said, to be a part of it. Fans have always been great to me here.

"Having the association with Rocket, I think the win in ’23 helped solidify that.

"Yeah, this has always been a fun week for us and a little bittersweet."

Fowler was also asked for his opinion on the structural changes will be rolled out in two years' time.

From 2028, the PGA Tour will be split into a Championship and Challenger Series.

The top tier will be reserved for the very best players, with prize purses of at least $20m. 

Players will switch level based on their performance. 

Fowler told reporters that he's unsure whether the changes will ultimately be better. 

"Yeah, it's tough to really know until obviously everything's out," Fowler said.

"I know everyone at the Tour on the board level and higher up than where I’m involved, they’re putting a lot of time and effort and focus on trying to get it as close to right as possible.

"I know a lot of times there's going to be tweaks here or there. 

"I think it simplifies things and you know kind of going in depending on where you’re at what your schedule is, not having any of this, 'am I in this event, do I need to go play down or go over here?'

"So is it going to be better? I’m not sure. I think it helps, like I said, simplify things and give a little clearer idea for the player, for the fans.

"So I do think it has the potential to be better than where we currently are of having two to three tours potentially out here over - you know, since I've been out. 

"It's just not maybe talked about as much and now going into a little bit more of an actual structure of that."