Rickie Fowler says his excellent start to the 2025 Truist Championship can partly be credited to those who doubted whether the American deserved to be playing in next week's PGA Championship.
The World No. 125 - who was given a sponsor's exemption into the sixth PGA Tour Signature Event of the season - also landed an invite into the second Major of 2025, causing critics to openly share their displeasure at the decision.
Nevertheless, the six-time PGA Tour winner began to answer his doubters with aplomb at Philadelphia Cricket Club courtesy of a seven-under 63 on Thursday.
Fowler's sparkling first round featured eight birdies and just one bogey, consequently turning out to be his lowest round since a 62 during January's American Express.
It placed him high up the leaderboard and just two strokes behind early leader, Keith Mitchell after his brilliant nine-under 61.
Eight birdies in the opening round for @RickieFowler 👀He looks to keep the positives going @TruistChamp. pic.twitter.com/l77hiVXsHxMay 9, 2025
Despite having no wins since 2023 and suffering a gradual slide down the Official World Golf Ranking, Fowler retains full faith in his ability and says the negative reaction he received only stands to help him kick on.
He said: "The negative stuff, I would say, kind of helps me in a way because it fuels me to kind of go out and prove people wrong."
Referencing a Sports Illustrated player poll prior to his victory at TPC Sawgrass 10 years ago, Fowler continued: "I feel like there was something prior to the 2015 Players saying I was the most overrated player, and that worked out all right that week.
"I've been happy with where my game's been at for quite a while. I just haven't really seen the product of the work I'm putting in or what I feel like I can produce. This was a little better today."
Rick is ROLLIN pic.twitter.com/iY4hOuOKafMay 8, 2025
Fowler is yet to crack the top-10 in any of his nine PGA Tour starts this year and has been forced to rely on invitations to a handful of the other big tournaments on the schedule - such as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational.
The 36-year-old's presence at Quail Hollow next week should not be too much of a surprise, however, given his first PGA Tour success arrived at the Charlotte course back in 2012 and he was T5th at the PGA Championship the last time it was staged there in 2017.
Although Fowler would clearly prefer to be qualifying for tournaments off his own back, the Oklahoma State University alumnus suggested aiming to repay the faith show in him is another little incentive to do well both this week and next.
Fowler said: "Obviously, you want to come out and prove yourself [after in invite]. I haven't been playing all that well last year and the start of this year. It hasn't been very far off...
"For the tournaments to give me the opportunity to come play. A number of exemptions this year, which I'm very, very happy for and appreciate it from the sponsors and the tournament directors.
"Yeah, you want to come out and play well. So off to a good start and looking forward to keeping it rolling."
