In 2014, Rickie Fowler nearly captured The Open Championship, only to lose to Rory McIlroy at Royal Liverpool. That was the closest he had ever been to winning the oldest major in golf. However, he has always been a strong contender in the tournament. 13 appearances in and he has 3 top-10 finishes to his name. He has only missed the cut once, and that was 12 years ago, back in 2013. It’s evident that Fowler is familiar with playing on links courses. But is he going to be at Royal Portrush for the 153rd edition of The Open?

The beloved golf star has struggled to have an impact on the PGA Tour this year. He has suffered many disappointing performances, with only 1 top-10 finish in the Memorial Tournament 2025. Despite that, Fowler has always received a lot of support from the fans. And they will be excited to learn that the Rickie Fowler Tracker account has confirmed his participation in The Open this year. The California-born will be at Royal Portrush to have another go at the only major played outside of the United States.

Rickie booked his place in The Open Championship 2025 after finishing tied in 7th in the Memorial Tournament. The same was confirmed by the PGA Tour back in the first week of June 2025, a day after the conclusion of the event at Muirfield Village Golf Club. However, Fowler was not on the field for the Genesis Scottish Open. Unlike most of the top golfers on the PGA Tour, he decided to skip the trip to Europe and played the John Deere Classic instead.

Just a week prior to the Genesis Scottish Open, Fowler was at TPC Deere Run trying to gain some momentum. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned, as he finished at T18 in a weaker field. However, he does have an advantage over the likes of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler as he will be a little well-rested going into the last major of the season.

Having said that, Fowler hasn’t performed well on links courses recently. Let’s understand why skipping the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open might have been a mistake.

Should Rickie Fowler have played the Genesis Scottish Open?

For anyone who qualified for The Open Championship 2025, the priority should have been preparing for Royal Portrush. However, Rickie Fowler decided against it, and he might pay the price for it. Especially considering his recent form on links courses. In his last 8 attempts in The Open Championship, Fowler has only finished in the top-10 once. He averages about 35th position every season in the major.

Apart from the missed cut in 2013, Fowler delivered his second-worst performance in the oldest major in 2024. He finished solo at 71st. There was a shocking 22-stroke difference between Rickie Fowler and the champion, Xander Schauffele, at the end of the tournament. He performed so badly after he missed the cut in the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open. Wonder how he will play in The Open 2025 after he has entirely skipped the tournament preceding it.