Rickie Fowler hasn’t consistently ruled the greens very well, a fact evident by a glance at his past few seasons. The 36-year-old golfer hasn’t registered a win since the 2019 WM Phoenix Open. His performances following that win? Moderate at best. Fans hoped the 2025 season to be better for the golfer–only for Fowler to get his best finish with T18 at the Cognizant Classic. Following his disappointing performance in The PLAYERS Championship (71), the fans didn’t think the golfer could surprise them anymore. But Rickie Fowler has.
How? Well, by withdrawing from the upcoming Valspar Championship. With Fowler not yet having qualified for the Masters Tournament, this decision drew wide criticism. Not only that, if the golfer wants to make it to Augusta National, he needs to win the upcoming Valero Texas Open or the Texas Children’s Houston Open. But the World No. 102 isn’t only battling it on the greens but also outside it. Yes, and this has everything to do with the upcoming PAC elections.
The PGA Tour has announced the election for Co-Chairmen of the Player Advisory Council (PAC) for 2025. And this includes one of the world’s favorite golfers: Rickie Fowler. Adding to the list of the names are Maverick McNealy, and Keith Mitchell. So, what is it? This Player Advisory Council advises and consults with the PGA Tour Policy Board and Commissioner Jay Monahan. Plus, the PAC team also helps to formulate the PGA Tour schedule, as well as reviewing and approving changes to drug testing protocols. Tough job.
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Undoubtedly, Fowler seems to have a tough time on the greens, and this will surely add to the pressure. So, how will the election proceed? Chosen by the Player Directors, Fowler will be battling for this tough spot against McNealy and Mitchell with the election concluding on April 14th at 5 PM (ET). Additionally, the top two vote-getters are set to replace Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson on the PGA Tour Police Board starting the 2026 season! Starting in 2026, PAC will elect one Chairman annually to serve a 4-year term on the PGA Tour Policy Board. The runner-up in the election will become Co-Chair for three years.
So, what happened last year? The PAC made several recommendations to the Policy Board. It includes cutting down on the PGA Tour cards and adjusting the number of players in the starting field of an open tournament. Jay Monahan says this will help the Tour “to make informed decisions more quickly and effectively.” However, only time will tell what happens next. Until then, what’s the latest news about the Tour?
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The PGA Tour announces a new partnership with ReliaQuest
Cybersecurity attacks in golf are rare but they happen. Back in 2018, hackers targeted the PGA of America’s computer servers, locking employees out of files related to the ongoing PGA Championship and the upcoming Ryder Cup. The staff discovered the breach when they encountered a message indicating their network had been compromised. Fast forward to 2025, and nearly 32 million user records from Trackman, a technology company that analyzes golf swings using Doppler radar, were found exposed in a non-password-protected database. It was an essential attack because the PGA Tour uses its products.
Undoubtedly, the Tour’s partnership with ReliaQuest, a leader in AI-powered security operations, is a response to this particular threat. This partnership, according to the PGA Tour, aims to raise awareness of cybersecurity and its career opportunities among a global audience of golf fans. Additionally, ReliaQuest will be featured through televised content, player relationships, and onsite activations at tournaments, including a new segment highlighting the toughest holes on the PGA TOUR!
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Discussing the situation, ReliaQuest’s founder, Brian Murphy, drew parallels between cybersecurity and golf. “Much like in golf, cybersecurity takes focus, consistency, and the willingness to get a little better every day. For those driven by that performance mentality, there’s no better industry to be a part of.” Interestingly, this partnership will also include the ReliaQuest Make It Possible Youth Golf Clinic at the upcoming Valspar Championship.
Great changes are ahead at the Tour–what do you think will happen next?