The story behind Rickie Fowler’s eye-catching ‘L’ hat

In the days leading up to Thursday’s opening round at The Sentry, eagle-eyed fans may have noticed something slightly different about Rickie Fowler’s headwear: the “P” the longtime Puma endorsee usually sports on his hat had been replaced with a mysterious “L.” Why?

Turns out, the “L” on Puma’s latest limited-edition hat design is an homage to the “L” that has been visible on the hill above Maui’s Lahainaluna High School since 1904. The unique design is part of an effort to support Maui’s recovery from the wildfire that caused widespread devastation in the town of Lahaina in August. Lahaina is located about 13 miles away from the Kapalua Plantation course, host of this week’s The Sentry.

Fowler will be sporting the cap all week, and also plans to meet with locals to hand out autographed versions of the hat to support the island’s rebuilding initiatives.

All proceeds from the sale of the hat will go directly to the Maui United Way.

“We are honored to work with Rickie to help raise money for the Lahaina community,” said Grant Knudson, Puma Golf’s VP of Product & Marketing, in a press release. “Rickie has expressed his love for Maui and feels a connection here. We wanted to help by doing something to contribute positively to people affected by the fires.”

In addition to the recognizable L, the hat design — completed in partnership with Wailani Artates, a local Maui artist — also features handpainted images of native breadfruit trees, which are deliberately depicted in cool and soothing watercolors signifying shade and nourishment, and an image of Kihawahine, a Hawaiian lizard deity significant to the lore of Lahaina, whose healing powers locals believe will be critical to the area’s recovery.

The hat, which retailed for $40, quickly sold out on Puma’s website. While a re-stock may be in store for interested buyers, you can still support Maui’s wildfire relief effort by clicking here.