Rickie Fowler took to Instagram on Wednesday to announce that he will withdraw from the Northern Trust this week with a right oblique injury.
"News got out last week that I was dealing with an oblique injury the past two tournaments...it was confirmed yesterday, via MRI, that I have a partial tear in my right oblique," Fowler wrote in an Instagram post. "My team and I feel like it’s best not to play next week in the Northern Trust...I will be back healthy and competitive ASAP for the FedEx Cup and more than ready for the Ryder Cup!"
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It was reported during the first few days of the PGA Championship that Fowler injured his oblique while playing in the WGC Bridgestone a week before. Fowler, in his interview with TNT reporter Amanda Balionis, said this is something he didn't want to be leaked because he didn't want to have any excuses if he played poorly.
You wouldn't have known Fowler was dealing with an oblique injury the first three days of the PGA Championship. Fowler shot 65-67-69 in those three rounds and sat three shots behind the leader Brooks Koepka heading into the final day.
Unfortunately, it looked like the oblique finally caught up to Fowler as he shot a mediocre 71 (one over par) on the final day of the tournament.
And with that Fowler closes out his 20s without a major championship. But fans shouldn't give up on Fowler just yet. Phil Mickelson, a future Golf Hall-of-Famer, didn't have a major championship until he was 33 years old. Sergio Garcia, one of the best in the game, just won his first major last year at the 2017 Masters.
Fowler still has plenty of great golf in him. Statistically speaking, Fowler was one of the best when it came to scoring in majors. He was number two behind Justin Rose for aggregate scoring in 2018 majors and was one of 11 golfers to make the cut in all four major championships.
Fowler was one of the eight U.S. golfers to clinch a Ryder Cup team spot following the PGA Championship. So, rest will be pivotal for both Fowler as his teammates will rely on him and his veteran leadership when the U.S. defends the Ryder Cup title in Paris this fall.