Fowler exemption into PGA - agree or disagree?

[MarkT]

https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/to...ves-pga-championship-special-exemption-230667

Fowler has received a special invite to Kiawah, as has John Catlin who keeps winning on the European Tour

 

[Deleted member 3432]

https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/to...ves-pga-championship-special-exemption-230667

Fowler has received a special invite to Kiawah, as has John Catlin who keeps winning on the European Tour

Caitln is 82 in world rankings so qualifies on merit as top 100 qualify.

Don't understand why Fowler is 'special' enough to deprive someone of ranking points if he doesn't meet any qualifying criteria unless the PGA has suddenly become an invitational.

 

[Imurg]

Don't they let a few club Pros play every year?
Maybe thats how Rickie got in..

 

[Sats]

Can't say it bothers me, but it doesn't sit within the alleged qualifying rules though does it?!

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I saw that article and my first thought was "who cares?"

 

[Deleted member 3432]

I saw that article and my first thought was "who cares?"

Probably the guy who's spot he is taking and depriving of potential ranking points and the opportunity they provide.

 

[King Julian]

I saw that article and my first thought was "who cares?"

King Julian cares, King Julian likes to dress like Ricky Fowler.

 

[MarkT]

there is an element of who cares but, given how much we all like to big up the majors, it’s quite a big one to get a late invite/exemption. Even Augusta, even though it’s an invitational, very rarely actually goes outside its eligibility parameters.

 

[Orikoru]

I don't even know what the criteria for invites are so it's hard to provoke an emotion either way. Generally I quite like Rickie, so would be nice to see him there. Probably miss the cut though.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

If they have an invitation category you can’t really say that he is taking someone’s place.
So as D4S says “who cares?”

 

[wjemather]

Caitln is 82 in world rankings so qualifies on merit as top 100 qualify.

Don't understand why Fowler is 'special' enough to deprive someone of ranking points if he doesn't meet any qualifying criteria unless the PGA has suddenly become an invitational.

The PGA of America reserve the right to invite whoever they wish, and there are frequently a few players ranked outside the top-100 who get invited. Also, the top-100 in the OWGR isn't an official qualification criterion, but the PGAoA usually invite them all (but not always). Once they have decided on their invitees, the field is then filled from a PGA Tour money earned list (from which the top-70 are automatically qualified).

 

[Ethan]

It has always been this way, hasn't it? Fowler has more of a chance of doing well than the club pros, though.

 

[inc0gnito]

Without his jazzy dress sense, Rickie Fowler is just meh. Never understood why he got attention. Did he used to be good on the tour or something?

 

[jim8flog]

I thought every Tournament apart from the Open and the US Open has some invitees.

 

[Ethan]

Without his jazzy dress sense, Rickie Fowler is just meh. Never understood why he got attention. Did he used to be good on the tour or something?

Yes. Top 5 in the OWGR, a number of victories and one year contended in all 4 majors and finished 2nd in 2 or 3 of them.

 

[pendodave]

The golfing equivalent of the ESL. While I won't lose a second's sleep over it, I think it diminishes the tournament.
I'd like to think I'd have turned the invite down ...

 

[Val]

Why not invite him? Class player in a bit of form slump but not a million miles off qualifying in his own right.

 

[slowhand]

It’s their tournament and they can invite who they like. I’d rather Fowler than someone 400th in the rankings who’s there just because of a sponsor and hasn’t got a hope of making the cut

 

[BubbaP]

Without his jazzy dress sense, Rickie Fowler is just meh. Never understood why he got attention. Did he used to be good on the tour or something?

He was into bmx & motocross prior to concentrating on golf, so good pr with many younger golfers when he was also younger.
I always liked this picture though
https://heavy.com/sports/2017/04/ri...ting-single-wife-instagram-2017-latest-funny/

 

[Imurg]

It’s their tournament and they can invite who they like. I’d rather Fowler than someone 400th in the rankings who’s there just because of a sponsor and hasn’t got a hope of making the cut

Apart from the actual WR it could be argued that Fowler fills your criteria...he's missed more cuts than he's had top 10s in the last 4 seasons, out of the top 100 and badly out of form.