Rickie Fowler opened some eyes this week in Hawaii, where he played the Tournament of Champions without the logo of two of his longtime sponsors.
One of the logos missing was Rocket Mortgage’s, leading to speculation that the parties had split up.
Fowler, though, set the record straight Sunday in an interview with Golfweek, saying he expects the logo of Rocket Mortgage, the Detroit-based online mortgage giant, to return to his wardrobe in the near future.
Fowler suggested in an interview with Adam Schupak that the sides were in negotiations on an extension.
“We have something in the works to move forward, but it hasn’t been finalized yet,” Fowler told Golfweek. “I think there is a good chance we will have the logo and move forward with the partnership there.”
The missing logos led to rampant buzz on the internet that Fowler was setting himself up for a move to LIV Golf, but he disputed that in the interview with Golfweek, saying, “You don’t have to worry about that.”
Fowler, 35, has been affiliated with Rocket Mortgage since 2015, when the company was Quicken Loans. As a brand ambassador, he played a major role in bringing the PGA Tour to Detroit Golf Club in 2019. Last summer, Fowler won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in a playoff over Adam Hadwin and Collin Morikawa to snap a five-year victory drought on the PGA Tour. Fowler birdied the par-4 18th in regulation and in the playoff to seal the win.
Officials for Rocket Mortgage didn’t return a message seeking comment from The News this weekend.
But the relationship between Fowler and execs at Rocket Mortgage is a strong one, so much so that at the start of the playoff at Detroit Golf Club 2023, two high-ranked Rocket officials were wearing orange Puma hats to support Fowler — less there be any question about who they were rooting for.
For several years, Fowler was more known for his funny Quicken Loans and Rocket Mortgage TV commercials than he was for his performance on the course, especially in recent years, when his game fell off a cliff.
But he had a big-time resurgence in 2023, capped by the Rocket win, but also included a near-miss at the U.S. Open as he continued his quest for that first major championship.
Fowler’s struggles were so bad, few would’ve blamed him for leaving for LIV and a huge payday, but Fowler, while considering it, decided to stick with the PGA Tour, and he saw the dividends in 2023.
“I’ve just trusted that we’re all going to end up in a good spot and I have zero plans to go anywhere,” Fowler said in his interview with Golfweek.
While Fowler said he plans to remain in business with Rocket Mortgage, another longtime sponsor, Farmers Insurance, is out. Fowler told Golfweek that his contract was up, and the parties aren’t going to renew.
As a Rocket Mortgage pitchman, Fowler has served as the unofficial host for the tournament in Detroit, and as one of the tournament’s chief recruiters of big-named players.
Severing the partnership would threaten to rid Detroit of its most-popular player among fans, in Fowler, who was a major draw even when his world-ranking had plummeted so far, he became ineligible for majors.
When he signed the deal with Quicken in 2015, he was ranked No. 12 in the world; he’s now at No. 23.
This year’s Rocket Mortgage Classic is set for June 29 through July 2.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
