Rickie Fowler’s $600,000 payday wasn’t his biggest prize at the Memorial

This was a clutch performance from Fowler because he would've had a tough time qualifying for The Open differently. The five-time PGA Tour winner is currently ranked 101st in the Official World Golf Ranking, and only the top 50 automatically qualify for the fourth major. Since cracking the top 50 in time is a long shot, Fowler would've had to soar up the FedEx Cup standings or play his way in through final qualifying to make it to Portrush. Now, he doesn't have to worry about that. 

Fowler didn't have much time to celebrate his Open Championship invitation, though. After finishing up at Muirfield Village Golf Club, Fowler made the quick trip to Kinsdale Golf and Fitness Club in Columbus, Ohio, to compete in the U.S. Open Final Qualifying event on Monday. You see, even though Fowler played his way into The Open, he isn't in the field for next week's U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. 

His only chance to qualify for the U.S. Open is to finish sixth or better in Monday's 36-hole qualifier. He'll be battling it out against Max Homa, Bud Cauley, Alex Noren, Cameron Young and other U.S. Open hopefuls in Columbus. 

Even if Fowler doesn't crack the field at the U.S. Open, it's great to see him playing solid golf again. After failing to finish better than T18 in his first nine starts of 2025, Fowler has finished T15, T16 and T7 in three of his last four tournaments. The arrow is pointing up for Fowler with an Open Championship tee time now on his schedule.