Rickie Fowler’s 2014 U.S. Open runner-up finish at Pinehurst created unforgettable memories. Thousands of fans roared as he charged up the leaderboard. That magic feels distant now. After a 2024 season that was largely plagued by an evident dip in form, Fowler had perhaps failed to anticipate that more was to come. As things currently stand, on top of a missed cut at the PGA Championship and a T16 finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge, Fowler finds himself unable to qualify for the 2025 U.S. Open—he missed the cut by one shot at Kinsale Golf Club in Ohio on Monday, while Cameron Young claimed the final qualifying spot in a playoff. What’s more?

The 36-year-old’s performances lately have been abysmal to say the least. The Columbus qualifying site offered six spots to Oakmont. While Fowler started strong with a 2-under morning round, the afternoon proved costly as he slipped outside the qualifying line. Yet the U.S. Open remains elusive, with his ranking currently sitting at 101 amid failing to earn an invitation to the 2025 Masters earlier.

So, to sum it up, despite Fowler’s resurgence after achieving his first Top-10 of the season at the Memorial Tournament, and doubling it down with a spot at the Open Championship, Fowler’s growth seems to have stunted quite a bit. After all, it’s hard to miss that his last win came at the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic.

But, Fowler wasn’t alone in his qualifying heartbreak. Sergio Garcia also missed the U.S. Open for the first time since 1999. The Spaniard’s 25-year streak ended after he bogeyed his final hole at Bent Tree Country Club. Garcia finished one shot outside a playoff for the last qualifying spot. Both veterans now find themselves watching golf’s national championship from home.

Max Homa also fell short despite carrying his own bag after splitting with his caddie Bill Harke, as Eric Cole and Chase Johnson also joined the list of notable misses. Cameron Young’s playoff victory denied these established players their dreams of winning a major championship.

Despite this setback, his overall season shows modest improvement from the struggles of 2024. He’s made 10 cuts in 12 events this year. His FedEx Cup standing sits at 90th. Still, consistency remains elusive for the former world No. 4. His recent T7 at the Memorial Tournament did secure his spot at The Open Championship. It also extended his streak to 17 consecutive seasons with a top-10 finish. However, that small victory feels hollow in light of Monday’s disappointment.

So, as news of Fowler’s miss spread across social media, his devoted fanbase didn’t hold back their emotions.

Rickie Fowler fans react to U.S. Open miss

Social media erupted with disappointed reactions from Fowler’s loyal supporters. The responses ranged from technical analysis to pure emotion.

“Fitting, his chipping did him in. So many mistakes today. Good rally but the law of averages comes back to bite him. Pain,” wrote one frustrated X fan, referencing Fowler’s well-documented short game struggles that have plagued him throughout his recent slide from world No. 4 to 101st.

Others questioned his competitive fire in the same X thread. “Good guy Rickie has 0 dog,” commented another supporter, echoing a common criticism that has followed Fowler since his winless streak began in 2019.

However, some fans defended their struggling hero in response to the tweet. “Bummer is an understatement, but he left it all out there in the round today. Either way his game is in good shape for the first time in 2 years and he has played like 110 holes in the last 5 days so he’s obviously exhausted, hopefully some of the idiots digging into him chill out,” one loyal supporter argued, noting Fowler’s demanding schedule that included 36 holes of qualifying after just completing four rounds at the Memorial Tournament.

“Dang,” one fan simply stated in response to the news. Another painted the bigger picture in the same thread: “Another major on the couch. So sad,” highlighting how this marks yet another major championship Fowler will miss, continuing a pattern that began when he fell outside the top 60 in world rankings.

Now, Fowler must regroup for The Open Championship at Royal Portrush. His qualification there offers hope for major championship redemption. Can he finally break through this summer?