Rickie Fowler Filled With Pride as His Alma Mater Breaks Cursed Streak After 8 Years

Rickie Fowler has a special bond with his alma mater, Oklahoma State. As a member of the renowned Cowboy Golf team, he made history by being the first freshman to win the Ben Hogan Award in 2008 and also received the Phil Mickelson Award that same year. He cherishes his connection to the school and said during a 2019 Floridian Golf Club event, “Oklahoma State, it’s a big family.” To show his support for his uni, Fowler began wearing orange on Sundays after turning pro. So, with such a special connection, it doesn’t seem Rickie Fowler will stop showing that, and recently, his support for his alma mater was in full display again after it achieved something special for the first time in 8 years.

OSU won its first NCAA Championship since 2018 against Virginia, defeating them 4-1 in the championship match. However, this 12th men’s NCAA Division 1 win featured some skilled golfers on the Cowboys team, as the team emerged victorious largely due to Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson, Eric Lee, Gaven Lane, and Ethan Fang securing the four winning points against Virginia. On Virginia’s side, Ben James was the only player to earn his team a point. The result? A proud Rickie Fowler.

Sharing a picture of the winning team on his Instagram story, Rickie Fowler congratulated the team: “Job well done…congrats boys! Go Pokes! @cowboygolf.” Of course, this isn’t the first time Fowler has shown support for his team during a win. During the 2018 NCAA Championship, the American watched as Oklahoma State dominated Alabama in the match. Interestingly, that win marked his alma mater’s first national title since 2006. Reflecting on it at the time, a proud Fowler said, “It’s [OSU] a special place, Oklahoma State golf is. We have our own place in college golf history.” So, how did the Cowboys achieve this recent win?

OSU’s Eric Lee registered a necessary point against Josh Duangmanee on the 17th hole to take a 1-up lead and then secure a 2-up victory by winning the 18th hole with another birdie. This marked Lee’s second consecutive clutch performance, as he won the 19th hole in the semi-final against Mississippi just a day earlier. Interestingly, with this NCAA Championship win, OSU registered its second win under coach Alan Bratton. The last win came in 2018 against Alabama, which Rickie Fowler celebrated, as we mentioned earlier. Additionally, with this win, the OSU has gathered a total of seven titles this season. What a great year for Oklahoma State! Moreover, this isn’t the only way Rickie Fowler shows support for his alma mater.

Rickie Fowler and his Rickie Fowler Grand Challenge Scholars programme

In 2017, Rickie Fowler spoke of his alma mater, “My home away from home will always be Stillwater, Oklahoma. Although I only spent two years there, its impact on me is everlasting. It’s important to me to treat my adopted state with the same respect they’ve given to me.” And so came his incredible support for Oklahoma State.

It all started with the Rickie Fowler Foundation, wherein the Oklahoma alumni established the non-profit to support Japanese and Native American communities. Established in 2011, the Rickie Fowler Foundation helps grant them educational opportunities.  In 2017, Fowler’s dedication to education led him to create a scholarship at Oklahoma State University known as the Rickie Fowler Grand Challenge Scholars Program. He made an initial donation of $100,000 through the foundation to the OSU College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology, with plans to continue contributing until the fund reaches $1 million. He has committed to donate at least $100,000 per year for the next 9 years in support of these students.

The inspiration for this particular came soon after Cobra Golf’s announcement that it had collaborated with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space. This partnership motivated Fowler to establish a scholarship aimed at initiatives in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

To make the best use of his talent, Fowler reached out to Dr. Paul Tikalsky, the dean of the college. Tikalsky talked about how OSU is part of the NAE Grand Challenge Scholars Program, which involves more than 45 engineering schools around the world working on important social issues. Given his dedication to OSU, Fowler’s dedication to the orange outfit makes more sense now!