Rickie Fowler finds new caddie, makes a young fan's dream come true at the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic
Rickie Fowler is at the Detroit Golf Club of Michigan to defend his Rocket Mortgage Classic title. But first, he had the opportunity to make the dreams of one of his most loyal fans, Parker Milkos, come true.
Milkos is a young golf fan suffering from a complicated heart condition. As a Make-a-Wish recipient, he was able to be present two weeks ago at Pinehurst for the US Open, and there he met Rickie Fowler.
At that time, Milkos told Fowler that he was there when the player won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2023, and that he had always been a fan. He also told him that he would be there again for the 2024 edition.
This Wednesday, June 26, Parker Milkos met Rickie Fowler again, this time at the Detroit Golf Club. After receiving a tour of the PUMA equipment truck, Milkos received the biggest gift of all.
The youngster had the opportunity to act as Rickie Fowler's caddie for the last three holes of his practice round. The moment was shared by the PGA Tour on its social media profiles, with tens of thousands of views across all platforms.
Parker Milkos suffers from a condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), a congenital defect that causes the left side of the heart to be severely underdeveloped. Treatment involves three surgical procedures early in life, which can have a variety of side effects.
Make-a-Wish is a charity dedicated to fulfilling the wishes of patients (mostly children) suffering from terminal or life-threatening illnesses. These wishes are usually related to meeting certain people, doing certain activities or visiting certain places or events.
The organization has a long-standing relationship with golf, in fact, it holds a golf tournament (Make a Wish Golf Classic) to help raise funds for its operation. The 33rd edition of this event was held in 2024.
Rickie Fowler at the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic and more
Rickie Fowler began his first round at the Rocket Mortgage Classic at 1:05 pm (Eastern Time) sharing a group with Will Zalatoris and Cam Davis. Trough 6th hole, Fowler has two birdies with no bogeys and sits T21.
Fowler is looking to repeat his title from a year ago. If successful, he would be the first player to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic in two consecutive editions.
The event's transitional leader is Aaron Rai, who finished his round with a score of 6 under, thanks to six birdies with no bogeys. Four players are tied for second place, one stroke behind Rai.
Among the players in second place is Cameron Young, the second highest ranked golfer in the field. The top ranked golfer in the field, Tom Kim, played his round with three birdies and four bogeys for a score of 1 over.