Rickie Fowler and Leonardo DiCaprio share more than just similarities

ORLANDO – Are you watching this Bay Hill tour? Another important moment in this exciting comeback tour for Rickie Fowler. Sunday here will be big. The next one Sunday, Actors’ Guild Sunday, is going to be the biggest yet, what with the Academy Awards to be held and all.

Fowler’s close friend and perfect doppelganger (my folks, asking for a little latitude), Leonardo DiCaprio, won an Oscar at the 98th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. Meanwhile, Fowler is trying to play his way back to Augusta. If you’re in the top 50 in the World Golf Ranking at the end of March, you’re in the Masters. Fowler is 67 years old. A good finish here and in Badaleh can do wonders for him. Of course, plenty of other talented golfers are trying to do the same thing.

It won’t be easy – not for Leo, not for Rick – but what useful thing is always there? DiCaprio was nominated for his performance as Bob Ferguson, a paranoid, weed-smoking, self-proclaimed revolutionary. One Battle After Anothera dark comedy-thriller-satire directed by Thomas Paul Anderson. But let’s take a hat off here to his competition:

Michael B. Jordan on sinners, and who had been the son of Apollo Creed in one of the many foster children born to the first children Rocky the movie.

And (speaking of sports), Timothée Chalamet, who plays Ping Pong champion Marty Supreme in. Marty Supreme.

And, rounding out these five, there’s Ethan Hawke in the middle Green Moon and Wagner Moura The Secret Agent.

While we’re at it, here are four other top talents trying to play their way into the 2026 Masters: Tom Kim, Joaquin Niemann, Sahith Theegala and Will Zalatoris.

So, yes.

Could Michael B. Jordan play Tiger E. Woods in a Tiger Woods biopic? The actor is not a golfer, but he could. Michael B. Jordan can play anyone – he is that good. Could Ethan Hawke play Russell Henley in a Russell Henley biopic? Ab-so-lute-ly. (While we were there, they also happened to be at the same party at the same time and it actually caused a bit of confusion, despite the age difference: Nick Faldo and Harrison Ford. Ford received one of those industry lifetime awards the other day and ended his remarks by saying, “Inspiring.” He’s 83.

But it is unlikely that Tiger was ever asked if he was Michael B. Jordan. It is highly unlikely that Russell Henley will ever be asked if he is Ethan Hawke. But people actually asked Rickie Fowler, who is 37 years old and a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, who is, in fact, Leonardo DiCaprio, who is 51 years old and a six-time Oscar nominee (and a winner once) in the Best Actor category.

“I’ve gotten that a few times from people, that there’s a little similarity there,” Fowler said Friday. “Of course I take it as a compliment, not a bad thing to have.”

Definitely. Their hair and broad foreheads, their small eyes full of life – and their uninteresting, cold manner. Since there was really something about Mary (Cameron Diaz) in the Something about Marythere is something about Rick, as there is about DiCaprio. It has been a pleasure to watch Fowler play his Tour-ready golf for over 16 years now.

The actor and golfer once met, through Mike Meldman, the real estate developer behind Discovery golf properties. This was in Mexico, Cabo San Lucas, at the El Dorado Golf & Beach Club, a Discovery Land Company property.

“I was down there on vacation,” Fowler said. “He was also down here, we were at home [owned] it’s my best friend, Mike Meldman, in El Dorado. Just hanging out, maybe a few beers or cocktails, but nothing crazy.”

Fowler was asked if he had spoken to the actor that he sometimes has a crush on him.

“No,” said Fowler in his youthful manner. “I didn’t want to bring that up.”

Meldman has something of his own to visit:

“I will just say that they got along well as they are both stars.”

Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com