Rickie Fowler has been stirring the pot lately, especially with his comments about TGL and the two noticeable logos off from his golf uniform. The TGL has engulfed the golfing world recently and Fowler made a controversial comment on the tech-infused league just before its debuting days. According to the 36-year-old, the league is “not real golf.” 

He even went as far as to describe it as a “glorified man cave,” even after being part of TGL’s New York Golf Club team. Fowler thinks TGL, with its high-tech simulator screens and stadium-style vibes, is less about revolutionizing the game and more about having a good time with friends. “I want to come in here with a group of buddies and just go have some fun, turn some games on the screens,” he said, suggesting it’s more like a “golf simulator night with the boys” than the future of the sport.

His comments sparked quite a debate among golf fans, where some agreed that TGL strays too far from traditional golf, while others called it an innovative step forward, including Woods and McIlroy. Now, here’s where things get interesting.

After taunting TGL, Fowler has just announced a partnership with Ernst & Young (EY), a global accounting powerhouse valued at around $40 billion. And interestingly, it is a tech-savvy brand that thrives on innovation—pretty much the opposite of what Fowler criticized about TGL.

You’d think after calling TGL a glorified man cave, Fowler might stay clear of anything too tech-heavy, right? But it turns out he’s open to embracing new opportunities and engaging with innovation differently. Is it because the TGL just hit 3.2M views on the first day? Who knows?

But one thing is for sure! The partnership with EY is likely to involve collaborations in various initiatives. Be it community outreach, sports innovation, or even business development. It looks like Fowler is keen to up his endorsement game along with his sport, especially after losing his two top partners last year.

Rickie Fowler severs ties with his long-known partners in 2024

The HSBC Golf Championship winner recently decided to part ways with Rocket Mortgage and Farmers Insurance. This move sent shockwaves amongst the golfing crowd, as they were his partners for more than 10 years. Fowler first jumped on board with Farmers back in 2012, and honestly, it seemed like a match made in heaven. They were such a great team that in 2015, Farmers decided to extend their partnership. Rickie was all about it, too! He expressed his excitement about their “longstanding relationship” and the opportunity to “positively impact a number of communities and youth.” He was involved in cool stuff, like their ‘Tee it up! For Kids’ Youth Clinic and even initiatives for disaster recovery. Mike Linton, the chief marketing officer at Farmers, also chimed in back then, saying their relationship was “about much more than golf.”

But that’s not all. Rickie Fowler enjoyed a good rapport with Rocket Mortgage as well. He signed with them in April 2015 and was pretty pumped to be their spokesperson for Quicken Loans’ online venture. He even raved about the Rocket Mortgage Classic, expressing how cool it was to support Detroit and make a difference in the community. And let’s not forget, that he won the tournament in 2023, which just made that partnership even sweeter.

However, despite the good vibes and sweet moments shared, their journey came to an end in 2024, just like Farmers Insurance. Now, as the PGA Tour pro continues his journey with EY, fans have their eyes on what cool things are coming next for him. Are you too excited about his billion-dollar collaboration? Drop your thoughts in the comment section below!