Rickie Fowler is normally a staple at this week's Mayakoba Golf Classic, but even though he hasn't played since August, the newly-married star won't be playing this week in Mexico. That's because he contracted a bacterial infection during his recent honeymoon.
Fowler posted some photos from his honeymoon and recently told Golfweek what happened on the trip.
In a text message to Golfweek, Fowler said at the tail end of his honeymoon – he got married the first week of October – he came down with Campylobacter jejuni, which is among the most common bacterial infections and leads to cramps, fever, pain and diarrhea.
All of that sounds horrendous, but he's apparently back to full strength now. The problem for the Mayakoba is that he didn't have enough time to get into playing shape for the first PGA Tour event back from the Asian swing (which Fowler did not play).
The bigger (and more interesting) problem now revolves around the Presidents Cup. Tiger Woods is the captain and did not select Fowler as one of his four captain's picks last week. It's presumed that Fowler was first man out and there could be an open spot depending on the health of Brooks Koepka and his knee, which is currently up in the air.
Fowler is slated to play the Hero World Challenge in December, but that would have likely been his only event between the end of last season and the Presidents Cup. Would Big Cat pick him if Koepka ejects? It seems likely, given the trust Tiger and most others have in Fowler, but it's certainly not a slam dunk like maybe we would have thought a week or two ago.
Fowler hasn't missed a team event since the 2013 Presidents Cup.
