In 2012, Rickie Fowler debuted a Van Dyke beard—a bold style choice that drew both praise and sharp criticism from fans. But Fowler didn’t let the reactions dictate his decision. After winning the Wells Fargo Championship that year, he reflected, “It’s more kind of showing I’m not too worried about what other people think.” But by 2018, Fowler’s facial hair had taken on a superstitious dimension. 

Ahead of the Scottish Championship, he let his beard grow and tied for sixth place. At last, he had given in to treating it as a small charm that might influence his performance. Even then, he said, “It’s just for fun”. The whimsical experiment was repeated alongside his roommate Justin Thomas, who was also sporting a rugged look. “Obviously, not taking it too seriously. But like I said, ended up playing halfway decent last week, so I couldn’t really shave it off going into this week,” Fowler said. 

Fast forward to 2025: at the BMW Championship’s opening round at Caves Valley Golf Club, Fowler arrived with a full beard, a striking shift from his recent clean-shaven or mustached appearances. When asked if it was just for the playoff run, he laughed, “I don’t know what it is. It was growing for a bit through the British.”  But before anyone else could associate it with luck or charm, Fowler’s new look attracted the attention of perhaps his most important critic: his three-year-old daughter, Maya. He shared with a smile, “Maya, our oldest, she usually tells me, ‘Dada, take your hair off.’ She’s mentioned it. I try and tickle her as much as I can with it, and she was kind of messing with it yesterday. We’ll see if she lets me keep it. She kind of dictates a lot of that, but so far she hasn’t forced me to take it off yet.” 

Even for those closest to him, the change is noticeable, and at such a young age, even a small adjustment in a parent’s appearance can be surprising. It remains to be seen whether Fowler’s beard will be a temporary experiment or a fixture of his 2025 season. 

But it’s nothing new. Fowler has done this before, believing that even a small change in his beard could bring a bit of luck or spark a conversation. And Fowler’s not the only one; the 2025 season has seen more than one top player surprise fans with a dramatic change in appearance.

Fowler Is Not Alone in Making Bold Appearance Changes

Rory McIlroy turned heads at the 2025 Scottish Open with a bold new look after taking a short mental break following the Travelers Championship. Fans couldn’t miss his fresh buzz cut, which instantly brought Rowan Atkinson’s famous characters Mr. Bean and Johnny English to mind. Sitting down with CBS’s Amanda Balionis after his third round, McIlroy explained the reasoning that “You know, I’m getting a little gray as everyone probably knows. And I stupidly thought that by going shorter, it would take the grays out. And, if anything, it makes me look more gray.”

Even with the unintended result, McIlroy kept it lighthearted and forward-looking. “So, but it will grow back. That’s a good thing. It’ll be in perfect length for the Ryder Cup in September,” he said. Over the years, he’s rocked plenty of hairstyles, including curly hair in his younger days, but this one grabbed attention for its boldness and maybe a little superstition. When Balionis joked it could be a good luck haircut depending on what happens in the tournament, McIlroy just laughed and replied, “Who knows?”

Now all eyes are on Fowler at Caves Valley, and fans are wondering if his new look might just work a little magic on the course this week.