Rickie Fowler Returning to Butch Harmon's Tutelage for New Season

The fan favorite, who last won in 2019, said Tuesday that he is going back to work with one of the game's renowned teachers. Fowler will have a new caddie, too.

After parting with his longtime caddie last month, Rickie Fowler is now changing coaches and going back to one of the game’s renowned teachers, Butch Harmon.

Fowler, who has not won since 2019 and struggled to stay within the top 125 in FedEx Cup points, told Golfweek on Tuesday that he had moved on from instructor 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.”

Fowler begins the new PGA Tour season next week at the Fortinet Championship in Napa, California. His new caddie will be Ricky Romano, whom he knows from a long tenure on Tour. Fowler had been with Joe Skovron since turning pro in 2009.

Harmon, 79, rarely travels to events these days, so Fowler plans to visit him when possible in Las Vegas. Fowler worked with Harmon previously as well as with Harmon’s son, Claude Harmon III.

“I’m planning to have more communication with him this fall, but not committing or going anywhere outside of that right now,” Fowler said.

“Man, I love the guy," Tillery told ESPN. "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."