Who Is Rickie Fowler's Coach?
Rickie Fowler's current coach situation is an interesting one. Fowler previously worked under the legendary coach, Butch Harmon, from 2014 until splitting with him five years later.
The duo enjoyed many successes, with four PGA Tour wins and two European Tour victories in the five year period. But then at the tail end of 2022 the pair started working together again after Fowler split with a man called John Tillery.
“I couldn’t love the guy any more, and we gave it a good run but it was almost like speaking another language in a way and it never really clicked,” Fowler told Golfweek.
“He’s had plenty of success with his guys and I wish I would have played significantly better. I’ll take a lot out of the time we spent together. It’s not like the last few years were for nothing. I gained a lot of knowledge and I feel like I’m in a very good spot.”
Tillery told ESPN: “Man, I love the guy. This job will punch you in the gut sometimes. As a coach, there's nothing better than watching your guys succeed, and nothing worse than watching them struggle. The X's and O's of what they need to do is the easy part, but getting it done can be a challenge sometimes, and we didn't get it done. I'm pulling for him and wish him nothing but the best."
Fowler plans to spend more time with his Harmon. They have always kept in touch, and he last visited the veteran coach before the 2021 CJ Cup, where he finished T3rd, his only top-10 of the season. Harmon does not travel much but Fowler has committed to spending more time visiting and taking it from there. “I’m planning to have more communication with him this fall, but not committing or going anywhere outside of that right now,” Fowler told Golfweek.
Harmon is one of the most well-known coaches in golf and he has worked with some incredible players, chief among which is Tiger Woods. The two worked together between 1993 and 2004 with Harmon helping to guide Woods through his earliest days as a professional. Indeed given Tiger's success in that period, Harmon's stock rose even further. He also went on to work with players like Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Davis Love III, Dustin Johnson and Fred Couples.
Butch actually played a bit himself when he was younger, peaking when he played in the 1970 US Open. Additionally, golf seems to run in the family because his son Claude is also a golf coach, and Butch’s brothers, Craig and Bill, are also renowned golf coaches in their own right.
For more content on Fowler, get to know his caddie Ricky Romano, wife Allison Stokke, and Fowler's what's in the bag setup too.
