Bussiness
Rickie Fowler, Rocket Mortgage back in business together after brief hiatus
Detroit — Rickie Fowler and Rocket Mortgage are back together.
During Thursday’s first round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla in Louisville, Kentucky, Fowler was spotted again wearing the Rocket Mortgage logo on his shirt sleeve. It’s the first time he’s worn the Rocket Mortgage logo on his clothing in 2024.
On Thursday, Rocket Mortgage confirmed to The News that the mortgage giant and Fowler have renewed their longtime sponsorship agreement, after it was paused recently for a few months.
“Rocket Mortgage is proud to continue its longstanding partnership with Rickie Fowler,” Casey Hurbis, senior vice president for brand experiences and strategic partnerships, said in a statement to The News. “His extraordinary path to victory last year at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit stands as a testament to our shared dedication to upholding excellence.
“We invite fans to experience the Rocket Mortgage Classic as Rickie defends his title at the historic Detroit Golf Club. He is sure to deliver another fantastic performance at this world-class golf event.”
Fowler, 35, and Rocket Mortgage reached a deal to reinstate the partnership earlier this month. Terms of the deal aren’t known, including financials and years.
Fowler had been a pitchman for Rocket Mortgage since 2015, back when the company was Quicken Loans. As such, he became the face of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Detroit’s first-ever PGA Tour stop, which debuted in 2019.
In 2023, Fowler won the tournament in a three-man playoff, making birdie on the last hole of regulation, then making birdie again on the first hole of the playoff. The win snapped a four-plus-year victory drought for Fowler.
Early this month, Fowler committed to defending his title at the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic, set for June 27-30, even though his business relationship with Rocket Mortgage had been paused since the start of the year.
“Obviously, he’s a needle-mover,” said Jason Langwell, executive director of the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Fowler’s win in Detroit, which was chronicled briefly in season 2 of Netflix’s “Full Swing,” was his sixth on the PGA Tour, and first since the 2019 Phoenix Open.
In January, at The Sentry Tournament of Champions, Fowler opened eyes when he wasn’t wearing some long-time sponsor logos on his apparel, including Rocket Mortgage and Farmers Insurance. That led to speculation that he might be angling for a move to LIV Golf, but he quickly dispelled those theories, saying his contracts were up and he wasn’t sure if he was going to extend them.
He’s long been a hit in funny commercials for the companies, but his priorities have changed, as he’s married with a child, with another one on the way. The Farmers split is permanent.
Fowler shot a 1-over 72 in the first round of the PGA Championship, and was tied for 85th.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
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