Rickie Fowler hits back at heckler who called him a ‘coward’ over Leeds United investment decision
Golfer Rickie Fowler hit back at a Leeds United fan for calling him a “coward” after his decision to pull out of investing in the football club.
In a tweet posted by journalist Kevin Van Valkenburg (20 July), Fowler told him he responded to the individual saying he should have put up his own money.
Leeds United announced on Monday (17 July) that the EFL has approved the sale of the club to American investment group 49ers Enterprises, putting an official end to Andrea Radrizzani’s five-year ownership.
Michael Schwimer, CEO of Big League Advantage and a now minority owner of Leeds confirmed via Twitter the names of eight athletes who have invested in the Whites via his company, but Rickie Fowler wasn’t among them after BBC Sport reported (23 June) that Fowler was among the three golfers interested in buying a stake at Elland Road.
Valkenburg wrote: “Chatted with Rickie Fowler after his round. Asked him about being heckled by a fan, something he believed was a first. ‘He called me a coward for not going through with my Leeds investment,’ Fowler said. ‘That’s a first. Maybe he should put up his own money.'”
Disrespectful
After the news from BBC Sport reporting Fowler’s potential investment, that Leeds United fan can certainly be forgiven for feeling let down by Fowler given his decision not to invest alongside the 49ers.
However, it is indeed incredibly disrespectful to heckle the Golfer while he was competing and to call him a “coward” just because of his decision is too far a statement to make.
That particular individual should be happy his club have had their new investment now confirmed by the EFL rather than dwelling on what could have been had Fowler invested into the club.
It was believed that if the golfers Fowler, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas were to become investors, they would be bringing a combined career prize money of over £124.7million to Elland Road just between themselves.
However, only the latter two kept their investment with Fowler making the decision to pull out and while that fan’s anger and frustration will have been justified, his slander of Fowler certainly wasn’t warranted.
Leeds United are in a healthy position without his investment so that should be his focus.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are chasing what could be a crucial senior appointment at Elland Road with talks now underway.