The conversation Rickie Fowler once had with Arnold Palmer which was ‘one of the hardest things’ he’s ever had to do

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It says a lot about the impact Arnold Palmer had on the game of golf that he remains such a huge figure within the sport more than eight years after his passing.

Arnold Palmer is one of the most important ambassadors golf has had. As well as winning seven major titles, Palmer boasted a level of charisma perhaps no other golfer has had.

He was known simply as The King for a reason.

And it seems that doing anything to disappoint Palmer was something that most players would avoid. Unfortunately, Rickie Fowler felt that he had little choice one year.

Rickie Fowler dreaded conversation with Arnold Palmer before Bay Hill one year

Of course, one of the highlights on the PGA Tour calendar every single year is the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. It is one of the most prestigious events at one of the toughest tests on tour.

In 2025, Fowler missed the event for the first time since 2016, and only for the third time since his debut in 2010. The 35-year-old was one of the big names not handed an invite this year after what has been an underwhelming time for the American.

Fowler’s omission was a big surprise because of how dedicated he has been to the tournament over the years.

In fact, as he told icanflypod in 2024, Fowler felt compelled to tell Palmer in person on one of the previous occasions he was unable to make the event. And the conversation was far from an easy one.

“One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do is I had to, off scheduling and stuff, I had to skip Bay Hill one year, and so I decided to drive up and have lunch with him and tell him in person. And it felt like I was breaking up with – it wasn’t even a girlfriend, it was beyond that. That was hard,” he said.

“To be able to go and have lunch and hang with him, but obviously to be like, ‘hey man, I have bad news’. But at least I got to spend the time with him, and I know he at least thought it was pretty cool that I made the gesture of at least going up there. But still, that’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in my life.”

How Arnold Palmer reacted when Greg Norman pitched a breakaway tour in 1994

While Fowler’s comments do seem a little dramatic, it probably was incredibly tough for players to make a decision which disappointed Palmer.

Palmer had been one of the game’s most influential figures throughout his life – and many of his peers were not at all prepared to go against him.

When Greg Norman pitched a breakaway tour to his fellow players in 1994, it was Palmer who stood up and walked out of the room, insisting that it would not be fair to the rest of the PGA Tour if some of the biggest names went in their own direction.

Needless to say, that idea went nowhere for a very long time – with Palmer’s stance clearly having an impact on how several others felt about the possible split.