Sam Saunders, the grandson of Arnold Palmer, shared some insight into the decision-making process behind selecting players for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. “We tried to pick players who would help grow the game and maintain a fair and balanced approach,” Saunders said, according to Golfweek. “Ultimately, it’s about who’s playing the best golf and getting the ball in the hole the fastest. Exemptions can’t please everyone, but we try to make it as fair as possible.” Based on this, two players didn’t make it to the list. Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth.

They must have hoped to get back on track in 2025 after struggling through less-than-ideal seasons last year. Fowler didn’t manage to crack the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings, and Spieth had to deal with a wrist injury that sidelined him for much of last year. You see, for Spieth, there was still a chance to earn a spot through a top-five finish at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches. Unfortunately, he fell just short, finishing at ninth. The result of the snub? Jordan Spieth was frustrated with how things turned out, but Rickie Fowler used his time off wisely.

Jordan Spieth, clearly disappointed, spoke to reporters about the miss. “I’m bummed not to be there next week,” he said. “It’s been a great tournament for me, and I really wish I was getting that start, but I guess I needed to play better last year, even with the injury.” Contrarily, Rickie Fowler, on the other hand, took the news as an opportunity and used it wisely. The news of not receiving an invitation to the Arnold Palmer Invitational must have been tough to swallow for the Orange Man.

Rickie Fowler had a rather special relationship with Arnold Palmer, who was the host of the event. He looked up to him while growing up and enjoyed spending time with the legend. They were friends until Arnie passed away in 2016. At the PLAYERS Championship, he was asked about how he felt being skipped out of the event and whether it was difficult to come back this week. To this, he said, “Not necessarily.” Why did it bother him? His response in just nine words tells us why.

It “gave me a little time to be at home,” he said. He got to “spend some time with the family and get ready for this week. At the end of the day, they’re sponsor exemptions; they get to do whatever they want with them. You can argue or say one way or the other, but I need to play better where I’m not asking for invites. Yeah, it was a bummer not being there, but enjoyed some time at home to get ready for THE PLAYERS,” he continued.

After the birth of his second daughter, Nellie, in August 2024, Fowler now enjoys being home and spending time with her three girls (his wife and 2 daughters). Announcing Nellie’s arrival, he proudly said that he was with his family, right where he was supposed to be. The golfer has always prioritized his family and is a family man at the core of his heart. When he won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2o23, he celebrated with his wife, Allison,, and his daughter, Maya. Even though the long-awaited win meant a lot to him, he explained how there are more things to life than just golf. “At the end of the day, getting to hold her and hang with Maya and my wife … yeah, winning’s great but there’s a lot more to life than that.”

In an interview with ‘Golfweek’, Fowler talked about prioritizing family over doing sponsorship things: “Time is valuable, and I don’t want to overextend myself. Ten years ago, single me, it was a lot easier to use that time for work-related stuff. Now, I want to make sure it’s worthwhile and with the right people. I don’t want to be a billboard or NASCAR driver type of thing, but I do want to have a good, core group of partners.” Just goes to show that he prioritizes his family now!

Even though Jordan Spieth could not remain positive about being left out, he is certain he’ll go in the right direction in 2025 and become a better player.