Rickie Fowler - The New Tiger Woods of Golf?

Rickie Fowler is a 23 american PGA Tour Golfer and already a multi-millionaire. He has big-money endorsements with Titleist, Puma and Rolex.

Why have sponsors been attracted to him. Fowler wears distinctive bright-colored clothes and a flat-brimmed hat that have his fans flocking to stores to copy his modern look and sees children dressing as him at tournaments. So the young Californian appeals strongly to young golf fan market. Fowler is also active on Twitter and has other hobbies outside of golf such as BMX'ing and happily shares this with his followers on the networking site. In this regard he also breaks from the traditional image of a golfer as a dull middle class gentleman, much like Tiger Woods.

Fowler played in the 2010 Ryder Cup and acquitted himself well. More recently he's avoided being tagged as Golfs 'Anna Kournikova' by claiming his first PGA Tour win at the Wells Fargo Championship in May 2012. Getting that first win with all the attention and pressure brought by his plethora of endorsement deals can only be positive for the future. Those that placed belief in him have been rewarded, and it looks like plenty of wins will be following.

So is Rickie Fowler the new Tiger Woods of golf? In sponsorship terms yes, as he is comfortably earning more than other players on the tour from endorsements. But until Fowler reaches the upper echelons of golfing succes by winning one of the Four Major Tournaments he will not have the credibility to take on Woods as the king of endorsements.


Rickie Fowler Sponsorship List:

Titleist - Glove and Hat
Red Bull - Drinking bottle
Puma - Clothing and Hat
Cobra - Golf Equipment and Bag
Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts - Hotel
Rolex - Watches

Biggest Earning US Sport Star Through Sponsorship Endorsements 2011

Golfers Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson head up the 2011 biggest earners through endorsements.

Woods reigns for the eighth year in a row. His earnings are shrinking as he has lost endorsement deals with Gillette and Tag Heuer. As Woods' personal life and game have seemingly fallen apart due to his extra marital indiscretions, some of his key sponsors have left him too.


Full List


1

Tiger Woods
Golf
Last Year's Rank: 1
$60,000,000


2

Phil Mickelson
Golf
Last Year's Rank: 2
$57,000,000


3

LeBron James
Miami Heat (NBA)
Last Year's Rank: 4
$30,000,000


4

Peyton Manning
Indianapolis Colts (NFL)
Last Year's Rank: 9
$15,000,000


5

Kevin Garnett
Boston Celtics (NBA)
Last Year's Rank: 15
$14,000,000