Absolutely not!
Making the field in a Major Championship is earned, is not a “gimmie”. The Major Championships are the Mount Everest of golf. Players spend hours training and working hard on their games to reach the world ranking necessary to qualify for these tournaments.
Through the years, Championship Committees have given special exemptions to players for all kind of reasons. Do I think is right? No, I do not. I have never been a fan of special exemptions. I think it cheapens the tournament and is a slap on the face of players who worked hard to earn the spot.
Enter Rickie Fowler. Fowler received an exemption by the PGA of America to play the 2021 PGA Championship.
Fowler has been off his game for quite some time. He missed The Masters and did not qualified for the PGA Championship. Do not ask me why the PGA of America gave Fowler an exemption, other than they used some obscure category; been a member of the 2018 Ryder Cup team. 2018? Are they serious?
They also gave an exemption to American John Catlin who has been playing in the European Tour. In my opinion, Catlin was more deserving than Fowler. For one thing, Catlin has won once this season in the European Tour while Fowler had 0 Top 10’s in 17 starts this season on the PGA Tour.
Fowler has been pretty much an afterthought this season in every single tournament he has participated. Sure, he seems like a nice guy, but personality does not win tournaments.
Listening to PGA Tour Radio commentators insisting Fowler “deserved” the exemption was laughable. Based on what? Because he’s a social media sensation? If that’s the new standard, heck, Tony Romo should be given full exempt status on the tour. Be serious, please.
Well, at least Fowler did not embarrass the PGA of America. He made the cut, and registered a T-8, sneaking into the top 10 for the first time in quite some time. Perhaps Fowler still be able to buy himself a good game this year. He can sell you a cheap mortgage, but his game needs some serious refinancing.
In my opinion, the PGA of America got this one wrong.
You want to play in a Major Championship? Earn it!