Rickie Fowler will be hard to miss when he takes to the course at Los Angeles Country Club on Sunday.
One reason for that is his position atop the U.S. Open leaderboard: at 10 under par through three rounds, Fowler is tied the lead and therefore in great position to win the 2023 U.S. Open.
He also will wear an eye-catching shade of orange to help him stand out in the tournament field.
It's a curious fashion choice, especially in the sepia-toned L.A. background (country club greens notwithstanding). But Fowler has used it to tremendous effect throughout his professional career, turning it into a signature look.
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But why does Fowler wear orange, and only in the fourth round of golf tournaments? The Sporting News has everything you need to know about his distinct fashion choice as he aims to win the U.S. Open:
Why does Rickie Fowler wear orange on Sundays?
Fowler wears orange on Sundays — historically the day of the fourth and final round of golf tournaments — in honor of Oklahoma State University, where he played collegiately in 2007 and 2008. The Cowboys, who have won 11 men's national titles in golf, have an orange and black color scheme.
Fowler added to Oklahoma State's golf history by winning the Ben Hogan Award in 2008 as the country's top collegiate golfer (as judged by the Friends of Golf and the Golf Coaches Association of America).
Fowler has donned orange throughout his professional career, though he previously wore it from head to toe. He has dialed it back in recent years, limiting it to his shirt and shoes or pants. Here's an example of his former look at The Barclays in 2013 — he even got Jonas Blixt to join him in all-orange attire:
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He first mentioned the reason for his attire at the 2010 Open Championship, held that year at St Andrews in Scotland. Per Reuters:
"Not many people wear orange so it’s a good way to stand out a bit," Fowler said at the time. "I played college golf at Oklahoma State, school colors are orange and black."
Fowler briefly considered not wearing his iconic orange at the 2019 Open Championship, held that year at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. The color is associated with the controversial unionist group Orange Order, based in Northern Ireland.
In explaining his decision to wear orange at the tournament, Fowler revealed that the tradition began as a form of camaraderie with his former Cowboys teammates. It later became a way to stand out among the other PGA Tour golfers.
"A few of my Oklahoma State teammates wore the same colors, so at the time it was a bit of a bonding thing," Fowler said at the time (via the Belfast Telegraph). "But nobody really does it on tour. I like to think of it as my own little personal style."
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Fowler has also had fun with orange, even suggesting in a "This is SportsCenter" ad that it's a result of color blindness:
Regardless of his reasoning, there's no doubt Fowler has made it an iconic — and hard-to-miss — part of his game.
Rickie Fowler shirt today
It remains to be seen what shirt Fowler will wear for the fourth round of the U.S. Open.
This section will be updated when he takes the course.
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Rickie Fowler's Puma deal
Other aspects of Fowler's fashion include a large "P" on the front of his hat and a jumping puma on his shirt. They're part of his apparel deal with Puma, with whom he signed in 2009 when he turned professional.
He has remained with the apparel company throughout his time on the PGA Tour, though the details of his contract have not been publicly revealed. He signed an extension with Puma in 2018 and was elevated to brand ambassador. Bob Philion, president of Puma North America Cobra Puma Golf, lauded the golfer at the time:
"Since turning professional, Rickie has been an exemplary ambassador for not only the Cobra and Puma brands, but also for the game of golf, as a whole."
Has Rickie Fowler won a major?
Fowler has yet to win a major, though he has come close on several occasions. He finished second at the Masters in 2018 and had three top-three finishes at the U.S. Open, PGA Championship and Open Championship in 2014. He finished those tournaments tied for second, tied for third and tied for second, respectively.
Should he win his first major on Sunday, he'll do it with a style only he could pull off.