There’s No Reason Rickie Fowler Shouldn’t be at The King’s Place Next Week

On Thursday, Golfweek’s Adam Schupak reported that Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler wouldn’t be receiving sponsor exemptions into the field for next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

During a phone interview, Sam Saunders, Arnold Palmer’s grandson, told Schupak, “What our team did was try to pick players that, you know, it's about protecting and growing the game of golf as a whole. And doing what's the most balanced and fair process. Honestly, I think there was a lot of thought put into each and every player that was selected. At the end of the day, it's who's getting the ball in the hole the fastest that are the ones who get the opportunities. You can't make everybody happy with exemptions. So you try to just do it as fair and balanced as possible.”

While Spieth has played in the King’s tournament just three times (2021, 2023, 2024), Fowler has been a staple at the event, teeing it up on 13 occasions since 2010. Fowler and Palmer had a close relationship before he passed in 2016 and his caring personality with fans on and off the course is often compared to the seven-time major champion.

“Rickie's one of my friends but it has to be non-biased,” Saunders said. “You try to make sponsor exemptions to be objective and not subjective. And I think that's what our team did quite well. I think every one of us wants Rickie Fowler to be playing in the tournament, we love him. He's been one of the best spokespersons on behalf of my grandfather and carrying on that legacy, nobody does it better than Rickie Fowler,” Saunders said. “Rickie had gotten a couple of opportunities for exemptions in the elevated events already, and that was something that had to be taken into consideration. You want other players to get opportunities.”

Both fan-favorites can make it into the field with great weeks at the Cognizant Classic. A win would take care of everything, but finishing the tournament inside the Aon Next 5 would also do the job.

But was leaving two of the biggest names in the sport off the tee sheet the right call?

To me, Spieth being left out is more understandable. There’s no doubt he’d help TV numbers if he were to get into contention over the weekend, but he’s still making his way back from injury and hasn’t played in Orlando much during his career. But, to be fair, any field that has Spieth in it is better than if he was missing.

Fowler, on the other hand, is a completely different story.

He’s turned into the face of this event. No one on TOUR does a better job of honoring and remembering the King than Fowler. He and Puma put together a fantastic API collection every year that perfectly incorporates Palmer’s umbrella into every piece.

Fowler, who received the very first Player Philanthropy Award from the Arnie's Army Charitable Foundation in 2018, has served as an unofficial ambassador for the tournament since Palmer’s passing and if he wants to play in this event until he’s 60, he should be welcomed with open arms.

If Arnie was still around, there’s no doubt in my mind he’d bring the six-time TOUR winner back to his beloved Bay Hill Club and Lodge every chance he got. And if that’s what the King would want, we should all feel the same way.

Fowler got off to a great start at PGA National on Thursday, posting a 7-under 64. He was five shots back of Jake Knapp, who posted the 15th sub-60 score in TOUR history, after the first round. Maybe he can find a little magic over the next three days to earn his way into next week’s field—something he shouldn’t have to do.

Because let’s be honest, Bay Hill won’t feel the same without Palmer’s protege roaming the fairways.