When Rickie Fowler sunk his putt on the 18th green in the Rocket Mortgage Classic last July, defeating Adam Hadwin and Collin Morikawa in a playoff en route to his first PGA Tour victory in four years, wife Allison Stokke was in awe of the full circle moment.
“When I think about everything that he did, it was pretty cool to see everything actually just come together,” said Stokke, who reflected on Fowler’s playoff victory on the second episode of “Full Swing” Season 2, which premiered Wednesday on Netflix.
It had been a long road back to the winner’s circle for Fowler, whose last PGA Tour victory had come at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February 2019.
A former Masters runner-up, Fowler struggled in recent years following early success, with his world ranking dropping to No. 185.
“It feels gut-wrenching sometimes, there’s probably quite a bit more silence than normal,” Stokke said.
Stokke, a track and field athlete who was first linked to Fowler in 2017, recalled a poignant moment early on in their relationship about how he kept the focus elsewhere after a challenging day on the course.
“When we first met, I remember you were at the Masters, at the very, very beginning, however you finished, wasn’t what you wanted. I think you texted me, ‘Hey, how’s your day going,’ and I’m like, wait, what? I was just expecting complete, I don’t know, anger, not texting me for a while or not calling me for a while.”
Fowler, who wed Stokke two years later in 2019, said while sharing more “is not easy,” having her in his corner has made an impact.
“Going through this struggle for the last few years, and learning to open up and share more is not easy,” Fowler said on “Full Swing.” “But for me, being able to get input or hear her side, it means something.”
Stokke watched Fowler, now 35, enjoy a career resurgence at the 2023 U.S. Open last June, when he and Xander Schauffele each shot an eight-under 62 in the opening round at the Los Angeles Country Club to set a record for the lowest round in the tournament’s history.
Despite a strong start, Fowler faltered down the stretch, missing out on his first-ever major championship win to Wyndham Clark.
“Obviously he wanted it to go a different way and everyone did for him, but I don’t think that changed anything as to what he can do,” Stokke said. “I know he can figure it out.”
Fowler did just that, building off of the momentum from the U.S. Open to capture the Rocket Mortgage Classic weeks later at the Detroit Golf Club.
“I knew it was just a matter of time with how I’ve been playing,” Fowler said at the time. “I’ve had a couple tough weekends where I had a chance.”
The breakthrough moment was one Fowler shared with Stokke and their daughter Maya, who was born in November 2021.
“I’ve always wanted to win having Maya around, just be able to have the videos and pictures and that moment, that’ll be a special one, and hopefully, there will be plenty more and ones that she’ll remember,” Fowler said on “Full Swing.”
With the majors approaching, Stokke knows that no matter what’s ahead for Fowler, he’ll find a way to make it through.
“I think now it’s just lighter,” Stokke said, “and not to say that there will never be any struggles in the future, but I’ve got to imagine that he’s feeling like if there are, he can figure it out.”