Whispers of Rickie Fowler’s absence from competitive golf have been making the rounds within the PGA Tour community, sure to raise several eyebrows in the process. He went for months without even picking up a club, raising the question of where he was and why he was nowhere near the sport. His performance in 2024 could barely justify such a long layoff. While fans have been deeply concerned about the 36-year-old’s professional career, Fowler finally clears the air about why he’d been living off the radar.

Fowler broke his silence about his mystery hiatus from golf on Grant Horvat‘s YouTube show at Tequesta Country Club. During their conversation, Fowler spoke about the shoulder issues that plagued him all year. Fowler could barely get any golf rounds or even his practice sessions, which were cut down during these two and a half months of a long break. He joked he was in “peak offseason form,” refusing to lean on excuses.

The pace set by Horvat during that particular round was pretty jovial. “So, it’s five shots. Is that a good number?” There was no hesitation from Fowler, though he hadn’t played in months because of injury. He admitted, “I had some shoulder issues all year. Luckily played good enough to earn some time off.” In months, he had only hit balls a couple of times, continued the player, and in “about six rounds”, he muttered.

Shoulder injuries have been a common physical issue for professional golfers. They have often sidelined players because the swing demands heavy rotation and force. Although it is not the first injury for Fowler. Back in 2018, there were reports of Fowler going through an oblique injury; the shoulder appears to be his current hurdle. Shoulder stiffness, labrum strains, or rotator cuff micro-tears are the most common issues for a golfer, and most don’t even show in headlines and are unknown.

Fowler has now and then proven himself as one of the top talents on the PGA Tour with admirable stats to back it up. He’s bagged up 6 PGA Tour wins, over $53 million in his career earnings, across more than 500 events. He was a runner-up at the major championship at the 2014 U.S. Open.  He showed how capable he is to perform under pressure. His tenacity to be at the top has awed us all. He has been battling with injuries like oblique strain and stress fractures in his back. So his recent shoulder problem is not his first rodeo.

PGA Tour overhauls playoff bonus structure for this season

This season, the PGA Tour dramatically reformed its playoff bonus system. The overall pool remains at $100 million, while the champion’s share has been reduced dramatically; meanwhile, performance across the regular season carries more weight than ever. These changes signal a shift in how players will chase the green.

Under the new model, the champion’s payout drops from $25 million to $10 million. The bonus pool now splits into three distinct phases. The regular season finale, the first two playoff events, and the season-ending Tour Championship. All the players will now start the Tour Championships at ‘level par’ as the ‘starting strokes’ format is gone too. Players with strong seasons now gain more rewards, and the Tour reduces the heavy emphasis on the finale. Analysts argue the change may reduce volatility but also raise new strategic questions.

The PGA Tour has made the decision to rework its incentive system. The new format will prove to be beneficial for players who have been gradually improving throughout the tournament, rather than just helping the players who had found success towards the end. What are your thoughts on the new rules and the new format?