Shane Bacon highlighted Rickie Fowler at roughly +8,900 as his preferred dart throw. Bacon noted Fowler "gave himself a chance last week," showing flashes of the form that helped him contend in 2023. At a near-90-to-1 outright price, Bacon believes the market is undervaluing Fowler’s upside and views him as an attractive sprinkle for outright or top-10 wagers.

Blake Krass recommended Rickie Fowler at +8000 to lead after Round 1, emphasizing Fowler’s volatile but explosive opening-round profile. Fowler has already fired Thursday scores of 63 (Truist Championship), 68 (THE PLAYERS) and 64 (Cognizant Classic) this season, and in four of nine made cuts his lowest number came on Thursday. Although he fades on weekends, that very pattern suits a First-Round Leader bet. Colonial also fits: Fowler owns four career top-20 finishes here, including sixth place two years ago. Krass concluded that Fowler’s ability to catch fire early, combined with proven familiarity with the layout and a generous +8000 price, makes him a high-ceiling long-shot worth a small wager for the opening round.

Matt Gannon believes Rickie Fowler is on the verge of a breakout and likes him for runner-up/top-5 wagers at triple-digit prices. Fowler has opened strong in multiple recent starts, gained ball-striking in three of his last four events, and owns a sterling Colonial record—T6 in 2022 plus two additional top-6s with back-to-back made cuts. Gannon dismissed the missed cut at Quail Hollow as an outlier and highlighted Fowler’s improved iron play since switching back to an older, trusted set. If he strings four rounds together instead of fading on the weekend, Gannon sees a Davis Riley-type surprise in the cards.

Josh Schrock took a vibes-based stab at Rickie Fowler at +14,000, conceding Fowler’s form has cratered since a March T18. The counterpoint: Fowler won the 2012 Wells Fargo, finished fourth here in 2019, and grabbed T5 at the 2017 PGA on this same property. Schrock argued that familiarity and positive memories could help resurrect Fowler’s iron play just in time to surprise the market.

Josh Schrock admitted he is betting Rickie Fowler at +14000 largely on vibes, but he still offered course-fit logic. Fowler has sputtered since a T18 at the Cognizant in March, yet Quail Hollow has been kind: a win at the 2012 Wells Fargo, 4th in 2019, and a T5 the last time the PGA visited in 2017. Schrock thinks the comfort factor could unlock Fowler’s best golf, making him a speculative outright and top-20 play for bettors chasing nostalgic upside.

Dom Cintorino identified Rickie Fowler as good value for a top-20 finish at plus-230 odds at RBC Heritage because Fowler's iron play has noticeably improved lately. Despite significant concerns regarding Fowler's struggles with short putts and his particular LAB putter—which Dom notes causes him to frequently miss putts low—Dom argues Fowler still strikes it purely enough to achieve a solid placement within the top-20 at higher-than-market odds.

Matt Gannon sees excellent betting value with Rickie Fowler around 65-1 at the Valero Texas Open. Although Fowler has been struggling recently with the putter, Matt notes his ball striking has remained around average and he seems to be regaining confidence following close firsthand observation. Matt highlights Fowler's strength with mid and short irons, solid recent driving form, and a course fit ideal for his playing style as substantial reasons to back Fowler at the mentioned odds.

Brian Giuffra sees value in betting Rickie Fowler to finish top-20 (+280), highlighting his consistency when competing at this event. Fowler needs a win to qualify for the Masters, but Giuffra considers a top-20 finish a safer proposition. Fowler has produced three top-20 finishes at this tournament previously and displayed steady, reliable play in Houston last week. His strengths off the tee involving solid driving accuracy and distance match well with the demands of the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio.

Matt Gannon vouched strongly for Rickie Fowler ($7,700) in DFS lineups at Valero Texas Open, citing the course perfectly suiting Fowler’s eye and style of play. Historically, Fowler has recorded multiple top-15 finishes on this course. He's shown decent recent ball striking—neither spectacular nor terrible—but fits the mold having Oklahoma State experience and proficiency in windy Texas-like conditions. Gannon feels Fowler's skill in fairways and greens, combined with controlled mid-irons, offers substantial DFS upside at a moderate price point this week.

Brian Giuffra recommended backing Rickie Fowler to secure a top-20 finish at the Valero Texas Open with odds at +280. Although Fowler must win this tournament to secure qualification for the Masters—which Giuffra believes unlikely—he expects the veteran golfer to nonetheless be competitive. Giuffra backed Fowler's steady recent play, highlighting Fowler’s solid performance in Houston the previous week and his historical success at Valero, having registered three career top-20 finishes at this event. Fowler's combination of good driving accuracy and length are notable advantages for navigating the Oaks Course, giving Giuffra assurance that Fowler can comfortably achieve a top-20 finish.

Pat Mayo floated Rickie Fowler as an interesting sleeper consideration at Valero Texas Open due to the added motivation—needing a victory to gain entry into the Masters. Mayo suggested Fowler, who rates well in wedge categories crucial for scoring at TPC San Antonio, could see increased urgency and improved focus given this is his last opportunity for Augusta qualification. Considering Fowler's wedge proficiency from multiple crucial distances, Mayo implied Fowler could represent a compelling upside choice for betting and DFS players looking to capitalize on motivational narrative combined with skillset compatibility at the course.

While not personally advocating strongly for Ricky Fowler at the 2025 Houston Open, Tyler Tamboline acknowledged Fowler as a potentially viable DFS punt option due to his pricing tier. Tamboline advised DFS players who personally back Fowler to confidently differentiate lineups by including him, especially considering Fowler's ability to score and perceived low ownership compared to others in his price range. This approach can create lineup uniqueness even if Fowler may not have been Tamboline's own primary choice at the price.

Byron Lindeque expressed noticeable frustration and skepticism regarding Rickie Fowler after witnessing live TGL performance struggles. Fowler failed to capitalize on key moments, notably with multiple poor short-game efforts including a bunker shot and subsequent five-foot putt miss during pivotal points in the match. Lindeque specifically criticized Fowler for repeatedly "giving away holes" under pressure, contributing to an overall negative take on Rickie's current form and mentality. These recent struggles add to previously identified concerns about Fowler's catastrophic rounds at The Players Championship, reinforcing Lindeque's recommendation to fade Fowler in betting and DFS scenarios altogether until significant improvements emerge.

Byron Lindeque strongly advised against betting Rickie Fowler, citing very poor recent performances. Fowler currently sits 105th in world rankings and is having a dismal season, notably losing around 14 strokes during the weekend at The Players Championship. Lindeque noted Fowler occasionally makes temporary noise with a hot putter but consistently ends up losing strokes overall as indicated by his struggling strokes-gained rounds. Fowler's recent performances are particularly troubling, including severe single-round meltdowns, making him a clear betting fade.

Matthew MacKay identified Rickie Fowler as a DFS option with appealing upside at Memorial Park Golf Course, despite a relatively modest season thus far (best finishes are T18 and T21). Fowler ranks 29th in total driving, 36th in birdie average, and 42nd in performance on long approach shots over 200 yards—all qualities beneficial at this particular venue. Even though his short game has been weak this season, MacKay believes Fowler can offset this deficiency at Memorial Park by leaning heavily on his consistent driver and total driving ability. MacKay expects at least a top-25 finish, potentially even cracking the top-ten, strongly suggesting Fowler at $9,000 on FanDuel.

Matt Gannon was bullish on Rickie Fowler's prospects, particularly given his low DFS price and strong recent play. Fowler recently gained over six strokes ball striking at the Cognizant Founders Cup and returns to TPC Sawgrass where he's previously won. Additionally, Gannon noted Fowler performed well in similar Bermuda-grass conditions earlier at TPC Summerlin, making him highly motivated and a valuable DFS selection at $6,600.

Rick Gehman is giving Rickie Fowler a tentative thumbs-up this week specifically because of recent improvements. Gehman highlighted Fowler's improved putting performance, having gained strokes on greens in each of his last two events. Fowler recently showed impressive ball-striking at the Honda Classic, gaining three strokes off the tee and another 3.3 strokes on approach. Additionally, Fowler has prior positive history at TPC Sawgrass—he won this event a decade ago—and he usually putts well here. Gehman emphasized that at the low price point of $6,600, Fowler deserves a one-week-only opportunity in DFS lineups.