Tiger Woods is not the only star who will be absent from the 2026 Masters. After missing the cut at the Valero Texas Open, Rickie Fowler failed to qualify for the Masters.
Fowler last played at the Masters in 2024. It marked Fowler’s lone appearance at Augusta National since 2020.
After being a regular contender on the PGA Tour, Fowler lost his stellar form in recent years. The fan favorite has since battled back and shown flashes of the brilliance that the star showed early in his career.
Fowler’s next opportunity to play in a major will be at the PGA Championship in May. The golfer will still need to qualify for the PGA Championship as well.
Here’s what you need to know about the latest golf news.
Rickie Fowler Has Never Won a Major, But Finished 2nd at the 2018 Masters
Fowler is still searching for the first major victory of his career. The golfer came brutally close to winning the 2018 Masters before being edged out by Patrick Reed.
Fowler finished second and missed out on the green jacket by one stroke. Now, Fowler will have to wait until at least 2027 to get another opportunity to win his first green jacket.
“It’s going to hurt, but I try and look at things more as glass-half-full,” Fowler noted after finishing second at the 2018 Masters, per ESPN. “Obviously, I want to be the one standing on top after the four rounds, but this is, if anything, it’s a step forward and makes me feel better about going forward into our next major, the U.S. Open.
“… It feels a lot different. I am ready to go win a major, but this was kind of the first major week that I understood that and known that and felt that. I would say, previously, [I was] still feeling the nerves and dealing with tough rounds and things not going your way.”
Scottie Scheffler’s Masters Status Is in Doubt as His Wife Meredith Scheffler Is Pregnant With Their 2nd Child
There are plenty of other stars with question marks heading into Augusta National. Woods has already announced he will not play the Masters after his recent car accident and arrest.
Scottie Scheffler is the current favorite in the Masters odds, but the star may not be able to play. Scheffler’s wife, Meredith Scheffler, is pregnant with the couple’s second child.
The veteran has missed the last two PGA Tour events as he awaits the birth of their new baby. This does not mean Scheffler will not play at the Masters, but the star could leave the tournament early if his wife does not give birth before the event.
Heading into the 2024 Masters, the Schefflers were also expecting. Scheffler revealed at the time that he planned to leave the Masters if his wife went into labor during the tournament.
Fans can expect a similar approach this year if the couple has not welcomed their new baby before the start of the Masters. As for Fowler, the golfer has already notched one top-10 performance in 2026 but was not at his best at the Valero Texas Open.
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