Rickie Fowler has never been afraid to try a bold, new style on the golf course. From his old-school bright orange pants to his modern casual jogger looks, the 30-year-old has become somewhat of a trendsetter on the PGA Tour. Last week at the Farmers Insurance Open, Fowler made waves again style-wise by wearing an untucked button up shirt during the second round.
His Puma Paradise Shirt is a woven button up with a remixed tropical print. The shirt includes imagery of pine trees, surfboards and crossed golf clubs. It’s a performance top with traditional button-up design elements. The shirt is part of Puma’s new Play Loose Collection that is heavily inspired by vintage surf culture. The line is full of beachy, vacation-like looks thoughtfully designed to play golf in.
Fowler wore a similar design in 2018 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, though the hem was shorter and the fit was slimmer for a less noticeable un-tuck.
The response to Fowler’s bold look has been mixed. Nick Faldo discussed the look on the air saying that it was “Not quite right, something’s wrong with it. Might be too long.”
Traditionally, shirts with tails are to be worn exclusively tucked in. So Fowler’s shirt having a longer hem in the front and back that meets higher at the sides, would be considered a no-no in the past. But with players wearing shorts during practice rounds at some tournaments, mock-neck top and flat-brim hats, the style rules are evolving rapidly in golf to make it more acceptable to push boundaries like these.
The optimal length for an untucked shirt is a hem that falls right around the middle of the zipper, with some of the pant pocket showing. A slimmer fit will also look neater untucked to avoid a sloppy overflow of fabric.
The untucked shirt trend has slowly trickled into golf as a part of the movement in the sport towards more casual and athletic styling. Professional and casual golfers alike are looking to infusion fashion elements into performance pieces for a on-course look that works off-the-course, too.
And if you’re wondering if Fowler’s look was within PGA Tour rules, he told reporters after he cleared it with the tour before teeing off:
Fowler confirmed that he sought (and received) permission from Tour to wear untucked shirt today in competition. Button down is part of @PUMAGolf “Play Loose” collection. pic.twitter.com/P3yIlnzkPs
— Will Gray (@WillGrayGolfbet) January 25, 2019
