Rickie Fowler hails Royal Portrush as PGA Tour star seals qualification for 2025 Open Championship on Emerald Isle
PGA Tour star Rickie Fowler hailed Royal Portrush after the American booked his spot in the field for July's major in County Antrim.
The popular golfer revealed that links golf is his 'favourite' as he expressed his delight about qualifying for the season's final major on the Emerald Isle.
2
Rickie Fowler qualified for The Open after his performance at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club
2
The Open returns to Royal Portrush for the first time since Shane Lowry's maiden major title win in 2019
Fowler has booked his spot at The Open after emerging as the highest finisher at the Memorial Tournament that was not already exempt.
The Californian and Brandt Snedeker both finished tied for seventh at one under.
But it was Fowler who got the nod thanks to his superior position in the Official World Golf Ranking — entering the week at No. 124 compared to Snedeker's No. 430.
Irish fans will be delighted with the result as the popular player has. a huge following.
read more on golf
In what's been a rollercoaster few years for the six-time PGA tour winner, he said that he can't wait to head back to Northern Ireland in July.
Speaking with the media after his final round in Ohio, Fowler said qualification for this year's Open was a prime target.
He said: " A definite positive is going over to Portrush, that's one I wanted on the schedule.
"I had a great time over there... when were there last - had a decent showing as well, so...
Most read in Golf
"Links golf is my favourite, and Portrush is a great spot. So, I'm excited of that opportunity."
Fowler indeed does play some of his best golf on Links tracks, he finished 6th in 2019 - with a best finish of 2nd at the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler has become the first golfer since Tiger Woods to
He added the title to his triumphs at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and the
The Dallas superstar edged past Ben Griffin in a tense final-round battle at Muirfield Village.
28-year-old Scheffler carded a composed 70 to finish four shots clear of the field in Dublin, Ohio.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rory McIlroy explains US PGA anger after non-conforming driver fiasco
Rory McIlroy has finally opened up about his media silence at the Canadian Open presser, following his decision not to engage with the press after each round of the US PGA major tournament. The world number two from Holywood endured a tough week, tying for 47th place at Quail Hollow, despite a previously stellar track record with four wins at the course. Amid Scottie Scheffler's runaway five-shot triumph, McIlroy came under scrutiny when reports emerged that his driver had fallen foul of a legality test by the PGA Tour. Addressing his lack of interaction with the press at the PGA, McIlroy came clean. "Yeah, look, the PGA was a bit of a weird week. I didn't play well. I didn't play well the first day, so I wanted to go practice, so that was fine," he explained. "Second day we finished late. I wanted to go back and see Poppy (daughter) before she went to bed. The driver news broke. I didn't really want to speak on that. "Saturday I was supposed to tee off at 8.20am in the morning. I didn't tee off until almost 2pm in the afternoon, another late finish, was just tired, wanted to go home. Then Sunday, I just wanted to get on the plane and go back to Florida." When it came to the controversy over his non-conforming driver, the Masters champion revealed his frustration towards the situation and the fact it became public knowledge, especially since Scheffler's driver was also deemed non-compliant. "I was a little pissed off because I knew that Scottie's driver had failed on Monday, but my name was the one that was leaked," admitted McIlroy. "It was supposed to stay confidential. Two members of the media were the ones that leaked it. Again, I didn't want to get up there and say something that I regretted, either. "With Scottie's stuff, that's not my information to share. I knew that that had happened, but that's not on me to share that, and I felt that process is supposed to be kept confidential, and it wasn't for whatever reason. That's why I was pretty annoyed at that. "From a responsibility standpoint, look, I understand, but if we all wanted to, we could all bypass you guys and we could just go on this and we could go on social media and we could talk about our round and do it our own way. "I think there should be an understanding that this is a two-way street, and as much as we need to speak to you guys, we're sort of - like we understand the benefit that comes from you being here and giving us the platform and everything else. So I understand that. "But again, I've been beating this drum for a long time. If they want to make it mandatory, that's fine, but in our rules it says that it's not, and until the day that that's maybe written into the regulations, you're going to have guys skip from time to time, and that's well within our rights."
The 42
4 hours ago
- The 42
Gauff fights past Keys to book French Open semi-final spot
COCO GAUFF CAME back from a set down to beat Australian Open champion Madison Keys in an error-strewn quarter-final at Roland Garros on Wednesday. The second seed battled past her fellow American 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-1 in a tense last-eight clash littered with a whopping 14 double-faults and 101 unforced errors. Gauff will face the winner of the last quarter-final between Mirra Andreeva and world number 361 Lois Boisson for a place in her second French Open final on Thursday. 'It means a lot, especially getting through this tough match today, it wasn't an easy match and I'm very happy to get through it,' she said. 'I'm so excited to be in the semi-finals back here again and have a lot more work to do. Just savour this one today and then next one tomorrow.' Keys came through a tense first set in a tie-break after blowing a 4-1 lead with a double-break, but Gauff upped her level enough to fight back. The 21-year-old was the runner-up to Iga Swiatek in a one-sided showpiece match in 2022. Keys had been hoping to challenge for a second consecutive Grand Slam title, but failed to reach the semi-finals in Paris for a second time. Advertisement Gauff will be hoping to go at least one better than last year when she was beaten by Swiatek in the last four. Both players seemed to struggle with nerves early on with six breaks of serve in total in the first set. They also made 10 double-faults between them in the opener, while an off-colour Keys made 28 unforced errors and Gauff, who missed a set point in the 10th game, 21. However, it was the seventh seed who finally fell over the line and into a one-set lead when Gauff followed her seventh double-fault by sending a wild return sailing wide of even the tramlines. Gauff improved slightly to take a 4-1 lead herself with a double-break in the second set, only to gift Keys a way back into it with a sloppy service game finished off by another double-fault. Keys made it three successive games with a forehand winner to level at 4-4, but then gave up the 11th break of the match. Gauff served it out to force a decider as her opponent dumped a backhand into the net. The 2023 US Open champion found some consistency in the third set, which was enough to ease to a victory sealed with a break to love when Keys blazed a forehand long. – © AFP 2025
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Anthony Joshua lined up to fight two heavyweight rivals in new deal… but they are NOT Tyson Fury or Daniel Dubois
ANTHONY JOSHUA is in talks over a new two-fight deal - but it may not include Tyson Fury or Daniel Dubois. AJ has been out since September when he was Advertisement 3 Anthony Joshua is in talks over a new two-fight deal Credit: PA An arm injury has ruled him out of returning - leaving Joshua And promoter Eddie Hearn revealed talks with Saudi boxing boss Turki Alalshikh Hearn told 'We've been doing that, [Turki Alalshikh] said that on the night of Canelo [vs. William Scull, May 3], when we had our meeting, and that's the plan really. Advertisement READ MORE IN BOXING "We want to box sometime this year, October, November, December.' Joshua, 35, snubbed a rematch with Dubois, 27, the IBF champion. Dubois now rematches Oleksandr Usyk on July 19 at Wembley two years after losing to the Ukrainian. Fury, 36, was twice beaten by Usyk, 38, in 2024 and announced his shock retirement in January. Advertisement Most read in Boxing CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS It dashes hopes of a British blockbuster with AJ but Hearn said: 'We'll see what happens with Dubois-Usyk, we'll see what happens with Fury. 'And if we don't fight those guys, we'll fight, and then maybe we'll follow one of those guys next year.' Josh Kelly played against Jordan Pickford but now eyes title fight against 'freak' champ who's as tall as Anthony Joshua Two names also on Joshua's radar is Dillian Whyte and American Jared Anderson. Advertisement Hearn said: 'Two guys that have been discussed, but nothing concrete." AJ knocked out Whyte in 2015 and they were due to meet in a rematch in August 2023. That was until Whyte returned "an adverse finding" in his pre-fight drug test - having to subsequently withdraw. He blamed the failed test on a tainted supplement and returned last year with wins in Ireland and Gibraltar. Advertisement Anderson, 25, meanwhile was KO'd by Martin Bakole, 31, last August but beat Marios Kollias in his February comeback. 3 Joshua was due to rematch Dillian Whyte in 2023 Credit: Richard Pelham / The Sun 3 American heavyweight Jared Anderson Credit: Getty
