Rickie Fowler 'fuelled' by PGA Tour critics en route to hot start at Truist Championship

Rickie Fowler has hit back at his biggest golf critics following a bright start to the $20m Truist Championship on the PGA Tour.

Fowler, 36, received his fourth invite into a Signature Event on the PGA Tour this week and it led to a flurry of criticism on golf social media.

Largely down to the fact Fowler has chalked up just one top-10 finish in nine starts on the PGA Tour season and ahead of this week's event he ranked 125st in an out-of-date Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system and in the FedEx Cup race. 

Many golf critics and analysts believe Fowler is only receiving sponsor invites because of his popularity in the sport, and thus the PGA Tour is making decisions solely based on TV viewers. 

Fowler was also this week handed a late invite into next week's PGA Championship alongside LIV Golf trio Dustin Johnson, David Puig and Tom McKibbin, as well as DP World Tour Elvis Smylie. 

That's now five invites for Rickie in 2025. 

But the Cobra Puma staffer has finally let his clubs do the talking this season with a fast start at the Truist Championship, the sixth of eight Signature Events on the PGA Tour. 

The tournament - formerly known as the Wells Fargo Championship - is being staged at a new venue of Philadelphia Cricket Club this week as Quail Hollow Club is getting set to host golf's second major of the season next week. 

Fowler raced out the blocks on Thursday with a blistering 7-under 63 in a round that contained eight birdies. 

It leaves him two shots off the early pace set by Keith Mitchell. 

Tournament favourite and defending champion Rory McIlroy opened with a 4-under 66. 

When pressed for comment about some of the negative vibes on social media surrounding his latest invite into a PGA Tour event, Fowler admits he has used it to his advantage. 

"The negative stuff, I would say, kind of helps me in a way because it fuels me to kind of go out and prove people wrong," said Fowler after his 63.

"I feel like there was something prior to the 2015 Players [Championship] saying I was the most overrated player, and that worked out all right that week."

The Players Championship was Fowler's biggest victory on the PGA Tour to date in a career that has heralded six wins in total. 

Fowler's last win dates back to July 2023 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

A seventh career win nearly two years since his last would certainly shut plenty of critics up this Sunday.

Fowler knows he hasn't had his A-game for some time now, but he thinks he's turning a corner. 

"You obviously want to come out and prove yourself," he added.

"I haven't been playing all that well last year and the start of this year. It hasn't been very far off.

"For the tournaments to give me the opportunity to come play. A number of exemptions this year, which I'm very, very happy for and appreciate it from the sponsors and the tournament directors.

"You want to come out and play well. So off to a good start and looking forward to keeping it rolling."

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