2023 British Open: Rickie Fowler explains why he didn’t join Leeds United minority ownership group

HOYLAKE, England – A crowd favorite long before he dug himself out of a prolonged slump, Rickie Fowler has been cast in a new role this week as the villain.

Fowler had been looking into joining a minority ownership group of Leeds United, along with Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, but was advised against the deal, a move that didn’t sit well with some fans at this week’s Open Championship.

“Other than maybe a ‘coward’ comment here or there, 99.9 percent are amazing. But you deal with that anywhere you go. Same thing in the States,” Fowler said Saturday following a third-round 67. “That may be one of the first times [he’s been heckled for a financial investment]. There might be some other ones out there, but yeah, it is what it is. I’ll take it.”

Full-field scores from the 151st Open Championship

Spieth and Thomas revealed this week they’d invested in the San Francisco 49ers’ ownership group, 49ers Enterprises, which is in the process of taking over Leeds after its relegation from the Premier League to the second-tier Championship next season.

“My financial team just didn’t necessarily advise for it, so we decided to not go forward with it,” said Fowler, who was also asked if he might reconsider his decision and join Spieth and Thomas in the investment group: “No, no, that’s already all done. Hopefully, it all works out with JT and Jordan being involved.”