• Rickie Fowler fired a 7-under 63 at the Truist Championship, fueled by criticism surrounding his PGA Championship invitation.
• Keith Mitchell leads the Truist Championship after shooting a course-record 61, also playing on a sponsor exemption.
• Fowler made equipment adjustments, specifically bending his irons a degree upright, to improve his game, contributing to his strong performance.

Rickie Fowler is competing in the Truist Championship at the Philadelphia Cricket Club's Wissahickon Course, using it as a tune-up for the upcoming PGA Championship, for which he received an invitation that garnered some criticism. After a disappointing 2024 season and a slow start to 2025, Fowler seeks to prove his worth and capitalize on the opportunity, having adjusted his equipment and found motivation in proving doubters wrong. Keith Mitchell leads the tournament after the first round, setting a new course record.

• What: Rickie Fowler shot a 7-under 63 in the first round of the Truist Championship, placing him in a tie for third. Keith Mitchell leads after shooting a course-record 61.
• Who: Rickie Fowler, Keith Mitchell, Collin Morikawa, Sepp Straka, Denny McCarthy, Rory McIlroy, Butch Harmon.
• When: May 8, 2025 (first round of the Truist Championship).
• Where: Philadelphia Cricket Club's Wissahickon Course, Flourtown, Pennsylvania.

Fowler's strong start at the Truist Championship indicates a potential resurgence in his form, especially considering his struggles in the previous season and the first half of the current season. His motivation to prove critics wrong, combined with equipment adjustments and coaching input from Butch Harmon, appears to be paying off. However, maintaining this performance over the remaining rounds will be crucial. Mitchell's lead also highlights the opportunity that sponsor exemptions can provide, while McIlroy's presence adds to the tournament's significance.

"The negative stuff, I would say, kind of helps me in a way because it fuels me to kind of go out and prove people wrong."

"About an F."

"I felt like I was making good swings and zeroing things out, and the ball was just hanging a little right from what I wanted to see. So it was good to kind of see things tighten up with irons today."

"Three more rounds like today will probably do it, and trying not to win on Friday and Saturday and Sunday, just trying to play my best. I've made it pretty hard lately. Hopefully I can just stay in front of it."

"I guess the best way to describe it is it's like a combination of trust, commitment, acceptance, and joy, all sort of mangled together."

Rickie Fowler's impressive start at the Truist Championship, fueled by a desire to prove his critics wrong and validated by equipment adjustments that sharpened his iron play, marks a pivotal moment in his quest to regain top form and solidify his place in the upcoming PGA Championship. Despite Keith Mitchell's lead, Fowler's resilience, underscored by a strong first-round score of 7-under 63, positions him as a significant contender, demonstrating that he can still be considered a threat to win. With the added motivation of silencing doubts surrounding his sponsor's exemption into both this tournament and the PGA Championship, Fowler's performance is more than just a solid round; it's a statement of intent, setting the stage for a compelling narrative as he aims to capitalize on this opportunity and potentially secure his first victory since 2023. While the unpredictable weather and the presence of other top players like Collin Morikawa and Rory McIlroy add an element of uncertainty, Fowler's renewed focus and technical refinements make him a captivating player to watch as he seeks to turn this strong start into a sustained challenge for the championship.