Rickie Fowler registered a sixth PGA Tour title and first since February 2019 with play-off victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit; Butch Harmon, Fowler's coach, praised his latest success on the Sky Sports Golf podcast.
Tuesday 4 July 2023 16:21, UK
When Rickie Fowler ended a 1,610-day wait for a PGA Tour victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, there would have been fewer people happier than Butch Harmon.
The legendary coach, who has guided some of the sport's all-time greats to major glory through his distinguished career, spent several years working with Fowler before the pair amicably parted ways when Harmon began scaling back travelling to PGA Tour events in 2019.
Fowler struggled for form and results in the following years and was as low as world No 185 as recently as last autumn, before a return to Harmon's teaching coincided with a dramatic upturn in form.
The 34-year-old finished runner-up at the Zozo Championship last October and then has posted top-20 finishes in 13 of his 16 starts in 2023, before ending a string of final-day disappointments by claiming a sixth PGA Tour title with a dramatic play-off victory in Detroit.
"This win for Rickie (Fowler) probably means more to me personally than all the majors that I have had guys win that I've worked with," Harmon told the Sky Sports Golf podcast.
"From where he was, how down low he was not only in self-esteem but his game and his life, for him to come back the way he has come back means a lot to me. I'm so happy for him and his family.
"Rickie Fowler is good for the game of golf and he's back folks, so get ready to really enjoy it."
The pair have only seen each other in person a handful of times in recent months but communicates regularly with him, while Fowler was the first to praise Harmon's input after earning his first victory since the WM Phoenix Open in February 2019.
"He [Harmon] is the best golf coach out there," Fowler said in his victory press conference on Sunday. "It's more just the communication and talking and going back and him looking at videos, or what he sees on TV or stuff he can sees on TV or on the Tour app or whatever it may be.
"He does a great job with players, taking what they have and ultimately I think making them the best that they can be with who they are, how they swing and making what they do well that much better and bring up the weaknesses."
Fowler is now back to world No 23 and has moved inside the top 12 in the Ryder Cup qualification standings, with Harmon backing his player to feature for Team USA in Rome later this year.
"No doubt about it, he has got to be on that team," Harmon added. "No 1, everyone loves Rickie (Fowler) and No 2, you can pair him with anybody. Rickie is a perfect guy for the Ryder Cup and he will be in that team."
The Sky Sports Golf podcast also sees Harmon discuss what he has worked on with Fowler to get through the dark times in his game and the differences he has seen this year, plus look ahead to The Open later this month at Royal Liverpool.
Download and listen to the latest Sky Sports Golf podcast and don't forget to subscribe via Spotify, Spreaker or Apple Podcasts! If you'd like to contact the podcast, then you can e-mail at golf@skysports.com.
