In 2015, golf fans couldn’t stop talking about an anonymous player poll—the one where Rickie Fowler was slapped with the “most overrated player” label after winning just once in his six years on the PGA Tour. Met with adversity, the player did what he was supposed to: Make a comeback so spectacular that it would drown out the noise. Meaning?

The Players Championship’ win just days later. Reacting to the criticism, the golfer had retorted during the post-game conference back then: “I laughed at the poll. But, yeah, if there was any question, I think this right here, answers everything you need to know.” Unfortunately, at the turn of a decade, Fowler finds himself in a familiar situation. This time with the community expressing its confusion after Fowler was extended a special exemption to the PGA Championship despite a world ranking of 125. But guess what? The player isn’t bothered at all. He’s fueled by the criticism yet again…

The 36-year-old, who won his last PGA Tour event in 2023 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, started strong at the Truist Championship with eight birdies and a bogey to shoot a 7-under-63 (two strokes behind leader Keith Mitchell). Later, his message was clear: “The negative stuff, I would say, kind of helps me in a way because it fuels me to kind of go out and prove people wrong.” He then referenced that pivotal moment from his past. “I feel like there was something prior to 2015 PLAYERS saying I was the most overrated player, and that worked out all right that week.”

That 2015 incident stands as one of golf’s most perfect examples of silencing critics. Critics pointed to his lack of victories despite his popularity. Fowler responded spectacularly. Trailing by five shots with six holes remaining, he mounted an incredible comeback, playing those final holes in six-under-par and forcing a playoff. His performance on the iconic 17th hole made him an instant golf legend as he birdied it three times on Sunday alone, eventually clinching the title.

Fowler acknowledged these challenges openly. “I haven’t been playing all that well last year and the start of this year,” he admitted. Yet his mindset remains positive. “It hasn’t been very far off, but fortunate enough to having spent time with the tournaments to give me the opportunity to come play.”

His Truist Championship opening round suggests Fowler might be turning a corner. He credited a minor equipment adjustment, putting his irons “a degree up” to help tighten his ball flight. “I felt like I was making good swings and zeroing things out, and the ball was just hanging a little right from what I wanted to see,” Fowler explained. “So it was good to kind of see things tighten up with irons today.”

But to truly understand why Fowler’s comments about criticism are generating so much attention, we need to look at just how far his game has fallen in recent years.

The cold, complex data reveals the extent of his struggles and explains why his special invitations have become such a hot topic.

Rickie Fowler’s performance slump in numbers

The statistics paint a clear picture of Fowler’s recent struggles. Once ranked as high as 4th in the world, he has plummeted to 66th in the official rankings. His fall in the FedEx Cup standings is even more dramatic – from 16th in 2023 to 106th currently.

In the 2024 season, Fowler participated in 23 events but managed just one top-10 finish. That sole highlight came at the ZOZO Championship, where he finished solo 4th. His scoring average of 70.85 ranked 137th on tour last season.

His stroke statistics have been particularly concerning. Fowler’s overall strokes gained total sits at -0.462, ranking him 145th on tour. The breakdown shows weakness across multiple areas – 132nd in strokes gained tee-to-green, 147th around-the-green, and 129th in putting. The 6-time PGA Tour winner has made just $500,153 in official money this season, ranking 121st. Despite these struggles, his Truist Championship start suggests possible improvement.

Will criticism once again fuel a Fowler comeback? Only time will tell. But there’s something poetic about his reference to 2015. When people count him out, Fowler seems to find his best golf. What do you think? Can the negative reactions to his PGA Championship invite spark another career-defining performance?