Tag: Tommy Fleetwood

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European Tour

McIlroy aiming to get the job done in Abu Dhabi

Rory McIlory begins his 2021 season with high ambitions. (Photo: Getty)

Four-time Major Champion Rory McIlroy hopes to continue his strong run of form at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship as he starts his 2021 season at the first Rolex Series event of the year.

In ten appearances  the Northern Irishman has finished runner-up three times and third on three further occasions, admitting that he has done “everything but win” around Abu Dhabi Golf Club. The 31-year-old is no stranger to success in the Middle East, claiming four of his 14 European Tour titles in the United Arab Emirates as well as winning the Race to Dubai three times.

McIlroy will begin his campaign in the company of defending champion and reigning European Number One Lee Westwood, and  World Number Three Justin Thomas. The 2017 US PGA Championship winner admits he has been an avid viewer of the tournament in the past as he prepares to make his first appearance in the Middle East.

Former champion Tommy Fleetwood will go in search of a third win in the space of five years at this event. After a near three and a half year wait for his second European Tour title, Fleetwood won the 2017 edition which he then successfully defended the following year. In 2020, he finished runner-up to Westwood.

Rory McIlroy: “It’s good to be back. I started my season in Abu Dhabi from 2008 to 2018 and it’s worked well for me. It’s a golf course I’ve done well at and played well on. I’ve done everything but win here and yeah, I’ll try again and see if I can get the job done.

“I enjoy playing in the desert, this style of golf. Obviously last year was a different year and I really didn’t travel back over this part of the world and play at all. But now with things, it’s still obviously not where we want it to be, but I think we know a little bit more about what’s going on in terms of how the virus is and how it affects you or how it doesn’t affect you in many cases and feel a little more comfortable traveling.

“It’s great to be out here and playing. It’s a great way to start the year. It’s a big event. Got some great players here. Obviously J.T. has made the trip over, as well. The start of our Ryder Cup points starting again, so a lot of guys will want to start well and get themselves off to a fast start in regards to that, too.”

Justin Thomas: “I’m very excited. This is a tournament and a place that I’ve watched on TV many times back home and it’s an unbelievable place. You know, it’s even nicer being on a Troon property for me, a partner that I have and I’m very close with, and it’s an unbelievable course. It’s in immaculate shape.

“It definitely is going to help driving it well. It seems like a course that if you’re driving the ball well, you have the opportunity to make a lot of birdies. The greens are pretty soft and they are in very good shape to where if you put the ball in the right place on the greens, you can make a lot of putts and really go low. That’s kind of been our priority here this week is just figuring out lines, figuring out shots and what I want to hit off the tees.”

Tommy Fleetwood: “I think it’s a great way to start the year. Everybody seems to like coming out to the Middle East just after Christmas and New Year, do some practise, and you come out here and you have some great tournaments to start the year.

“It was never really a course that gave me much pleasure, really. I missed a lot of cuts to start off with and all of the sudden in 2017, things kind of turned around and I started hitting good golf shots around the golf course. I’ve been on a lovely run in this event.”

Text: European Tour Press Release

Categories
European Tour

Reed eyes double Dubai glory

Patrick Reed aims to become the first american to win the European Tour. (Picture: Getty)
Patrick Reed aims to become the first american to win the European Tour. (Picture: Getty)

Tournament Preview

The 2018 Masters Tournament winner heads into the final Rolex Series event of the season with a 460 point advantage over Englishman and fellow Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood – who is in the hunt for a second Race to Dubai title following his momentous year in 2017.

As it stands Reed, Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, and two-time European Number One Lee Westwood, are guaranteed to claim the Race to Dubai crown with victory at Jumeirah Golf Estates.  

Morikawa is also excited by the prospect of winning not only the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, and a first Rolex Series title, but topping the Race to Dubai Rankings in a season in which he captured his maiden Major title at the US PGA Championship. The 22 year old is already planning to spend more time on this side of the Atlantic no matter the outcome over the Earth Course this week, having signed up for European Tour membership in 2021.

It truly is all to play for as the 2020 season reaches a thrilling climax. Outside of the top four players, for four others – Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Victor Perez, Aaron Rai and Tyrrell Hatton – Race to Dubai glory is guaranteed if they take the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, title and Reed doesn’t finish solo second.

However, with 2,000 of the 12,000 points on offer going to the winner, there is still a mathematical chance that any of the leading 60 available players on the Race to Dubai standings, and Joost Luiten in 72nd position, could take the ultimate prize at the end of the week.

Player quotes

Patrick Reed: “Just to be over here, be back playing on The European Tour is always a treat for me, and to be in the position that I’m in, being the leader coming in, is an awesome feeling.

“I feel comfortable with the way the game is right now. I feel good going into tomorrow, and it’s just one of those things that it’s last event of the year. It’s a sprint. Go out there and leave it all out there and play as hard as you can and hopefully by late Sunday, we have a chance to win not only the tournament but The Race to Dubai.

“It would definitely be up there near the top (of the career achievements). You know it’s always been a dream of mine to not only win on the PGA Tour but also on The European Tour, and to win the FedExCup as well as The Race to Dubai. To be able to get one of those goals that I’ve had set for my career, especially this early, would be great.”

Tommy Fleetwood: “I think for all the guys that made it here, it’s a great end to the year. I mean, individually, it’s a massive event and then of course you’ve got the added part of the Race to Dubai on there, as well, which is massive.

“It’s another year where I’ve got both to look at and I’ve got the enjoyment of playing for both, which is exciting. I kind of like that I’m getting used to that over the last few years and hopefully I can keep that going.

“It’s the perfect way to end off the year. It’s the end of what’s been a difficult year for everyone, really, but we’ve been very lucky having a lot of events and having a chance to play. There’s a lot of things to be pleased about in the golf world this year, as well.”

Collin Morkikawa: “I think winning The Race to Dubai would mean a lot for my career, for myself. Huge confidence boost. There’s a lot in between now and Sunday that has to happen, but winning The Race to Dubai would mean a lot because I want my game to travel. I want to be a world player. I want to be able to bring my game anywhere, adapt to the different places I come to and this is just the first step of doing that.

“Obviously with a shortened season, winning the PGA Championship helped a lot and I hope to make it more out here because it is exciting. I signed up for membership for next year already because I want to play out here. I’m very thankful for the path that I’ve taken so far but this week means a lot. It’s a big week. I came here after some good rest after the Masters and really prepped, fresh mind and look forward to the week.”

(European Tour)

Categories
Top Tours

Tommy Fleetwood: “I’m feeling more optimistic”

Tommy Fleetwood is feeling more optimistic (Photo: Getty)
Tommy Fleetwood is feeling more optimistic (Photo: Getty)

Q.Tommy, welcome to a freezing room. Talk about your recent form, great finish in Portugal but disappointing week at Winged Foot?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, to be honest, you know, I think since being back out playing again from late summer when I first came back out and after that COVID lockdown, I think I haven’t played great, and again, I think, the way it’s been, the year has been very different. Some guys have had lots of things there. It’s been great to get home to kind of start seeing — even sporadically just getting that kind of guidance, some positive practise sessions after Portugal. Portugal I played great and I chose to play because I knew I had gone home and I was having to work on things. Struggled with a few things. I didn’t putt very well but overall I hit it great on what was a very, very difficult golf course to hit fairways can get into position, which is disappointing. This year, three events — a bit of an asterisk on your career, if you like. That week, Bryson did great.

But again, been home and feel like my game is progressively — I’m feeling a lot more motivated is not the right word but I’m feeling more optimistic about every sort of practise session I’m having and going out there and hitting it this week, which is great. I’m not like, you know, particularly happy with my form, but I feel positive.

Q. Your first Scottish Open since 2016, Castle Stuart?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Maybe, yeah. I genuinely love coming to Scotland. I get a great vibe every time I come here, St Andrews, one of my most favorite praises in the world. Staying here, sat in the room last night — but the last few years, I’ve kind of taken the decision where I feel like having a week off before, the way the schedule has worked, I feel like having a week off before majors is giving myself the best chance to prepare. It’s just always fallen that week before The Open, and I remember the first time I missed it, I was — I said this is what I want to do. Kept it like that most of the year. So this year, it’s been nice to get a chance to come back, even if it is a bit later on in the year and a bit colder.

Q. Pictures of you out on the course. What are your impressions of it?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I didn’t watch much last year, I was in Ireland at the time, but I know the scoring was really low. I turn up here and I don’t see any low score out there the way conditions are out there. I think for the first few holes, we were talk, me and Tony Finau were saying, it’s great, every hole is a different challenge. I think especially with the wind is pumping the way it is, there were so many crosswind shots, you’re going back and forth a lot. Especially today, I think it’s been a really good test. You have to change what you do on each hole, and given all the different demands of the hole. I enjoyed being out there. Felt like stretching my game a little bit. And again, when you’re working on things, having those kind of conditions on a pretty tough golf course is nice because it challenges you.

Q. The last few years, following a different schedule, how weird is it with all the interruptions and stop pages, Scotland in October, Augusta in November? How difficult is it?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I just think there’s been changes that have been out of our control. I think just getting to play — I could easily get to take it for granted at the point where we are in the year, yeah, the schedule is funky and things have changed, but I think it’s easy when you’ve played for a while now to take it for granted that we are playing all the time. You look at when everything first happened, oh, we’re done and we’re going to be in lockdown for a year, everybody, you always think the worst.

There’s definitely things that I have missed. Again, playing the week before the U.S. Open, something I haven’t done before. I think for sure people have missed having — you don’t have your coach every week, you don’t want to do that, you’re professional golfers and you should be able to figure things out on your own but the truth is you can’t and everybody needs a bit of guidance now and again. Definitely missed that.

Yeah, it is different and it’s a strange year but at the same time, you know, turning up week-in, week-out with a chance to play golf tournaments, to win golf tournaments, to win majors, that’s the way you’ve got to look at it. You kind of nailed that straightaway that yeah, things are different and a bit weird, but it doesn’t actually stop you from having the ability and having the chance to have a great season still.

There’s still plenty of good events to play, and it’s been — I would say, as strange as it’s been, I had a long spell in America which I — again, I’m not going to use terms — say I enjoy it, rather be home rather than seven weeks away or whatever but I feel like I’ve learned a lot from things being taken away from you or things being slightly different and I think I’ll take them with me forever, FOR as long as I’m playing, really, maybe knowing what I missed at certain times or what I didn’t mind about it. It’s just been very, very different.

Q. You’ve got some great Scottish golfing memories. How confident are you that you can add to that collection this week?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I always — every week in golf is a blank canvas. Everybody has the opportunity, and I always feel like my good golf is clearly good enough to be there at the end of the week. I am excited about playing here again, and like you say, I do have some great memories in Scotland.

I was thinking of it while I was traveling over actually, was that one of the — just at Archerfield, a match-play event and I got beat by Graeme Storm in the first round. I actually look at that as the turning point when I started coming out of my slump that was for like a year that was well documented. I actually lost that match but I played and drove home and thought, I haven’t played like that for a year. I didn’t miss a shot.

So Archerfield was a turning point where I got things going on again, and that’s a nice little positive and nice memory coming here, which is one people probably wouldn’t think about a lot.

Q. You’re much-loved give Scottish fans. How much are you going to miss them this week?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: That’s always, I think I turned the golf on the first time they started playing in America when it was the first event back and I kind of watched — I was watching the players, and I said, well, yeah, there’s no fans, but everybody looks like when they are playing, what they are doing is just the same. They are going through — everything is the same. Same routines. Everybody looks really focused. When it comes to winning, it means the same.

When I started playing, again, it’s different, but there’s certain times when it feels more different than others. I think that the majors clearly have that feeling, and certain other points where you’re on the golf course where you might have a good moment or a bad moment, and you think, that could have been very different.

I think playing in front of Scottish fans, because they are such good fans, they know exactly what they are doing. They will be missed. Me personally, I’ll miss the odd dog roaming around on the golf course.

Q. I know when you won at Gleneagles — the dog — pretty special to you, wasn’t?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, it was. I actually got asked about it a couple of times. I think it was like two Nike calls to like ambassadors or friends, whatever you call it, and Robin, he asked me about that time, and I was like, I can’t believe it. Yeah, fond memories, Scotland, the country, the golf course, always looked fondly upon me for whatever reason that. Is I’ve always loved coming to Scotland and played. Had some great experiences. That was one of them. That was great.

Q. Apologies if you asked this already because I came in late for the interview. Talk of playing the CJ Championship and ZoZo ahead of Masters, are you committing to those two events ahead of the Masters and what might you want to be playing ahead of Augusta?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I haven’t committed to those yet. The guys were very kind. I got invites into those events this year which is great. Yeah, I want to keep playing, obviously. Like I said earlier, part of the reason why I’m playing quite a bit at the moment is because I feel like I’ve been working hard and I feel like I’m progressing in the right direction, and I want to get out on the golf course and I feel golf can change at any given week and hopefully my time will come again and it could be any week from now.

I want to play those events that are clearly great events until world golf and that will be it until the actual Masters which is November.

Q. From one Fleetwood to another, at Ryder Cup, your energy was phenomenal. How easy is it to replicate that energy at all the competitions?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Pretty much impossible, I think. The Ryder Cup seems — it’s been my one experience, and it was for sure — it’s definitely like it’s own individual event, and it brings with it emotions that you just don’t seem to be able to get every week. I mean, you don’t really see moments like — that you get at The Ryder Cup on a Friday morning and Friday afternoon, still two days left of the tournament, and you just don’t seem to get that. I think what makes The Ryder Cup, for us golfers, for starters, it’s the biggest sporting occasion in the world when it comes to The Ryder Cup, and we’re lucky enough that we get to play in it, and the fan interaction, seems impossible to replicate. You have 60,000 fans and there’s 16 people on the golf course, it’s not a lot.

For me, that was just — it was, it was an amazing experience. Again — you look at it and I think it’s more — it’s more of a massive motivational factor that you know what you experienced that week and you want to do it again. Everybody just wants to do it again and keep playing in those things and I think week-in, week-out, you’re not going to feel like that all the time but you look at that and it is definitely a motivation for you.

Q. Just for the record, I would like to see Tommy Fleetwood replicate that in a major?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Me, too.

Q. If there is one major where you would like to see Tommy Fleetwood on the trophy, which one, and which golf course?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It’s The Open by a long way. I’m not overly picky about the golf course to be honest but I think coming from where I’m from, very, very lucky that I have — I mean, Birkdale is my ultimate. I’m from that town. Hoylake is just down the road and Lytham is just down the road. Those are pretty much as close to home as people ever get to play in their careers, and they are all Open Championship for me, and it’s the Old Course, winning at St Andrews.

If I win all four of them, then great, but take one.

Q. Just to follow up on The Ryder Cup, apologies if this was asked earlier, late in the call, but we haven’t seen Molinari this year, I believe he’s just moved to California. Are you keeping in touch with him? Is he in good spirits, working hard? What is the latest from the Molinari camp?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, we speak. I mean, we speak quite regularly, anyway. He’s been a busy man moving home, moving the family and everything. That was something they really wanted to do and they have done that now. I’m sure he’s very happy with it.

I think he’ll be looking forward to coming back. I think they have done that move now, and he can start progressing to where he wants to play again and stuff. I think everybody will be happy to see him, but I think he’s just taking care of things that he knew he wanted to do and the family wanted to do, and then he’ll be back very soon, I’m guessing.

Q. Since Tiger won the Masters, do you think that maybe took him longer than expected to get over that, that mental hurdle that he had to get over?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: No. I think — I saw him the following week at Harbour Town, I played a practise round with him and he was absolutely fine. Golf, as in life, you go through great spells, and for sure, about, what, six, seven months, he was the best golfer on the planet pretty much, not far off. I think everyone had expectations, huge for somebody like that when he’s playing like that. He’s gone through a slight loss of form, and then this all happened, COVID and everything, and he’s moved house.

I’ve had my good times and poor times in my career so far. I’m sure my poor times will come again like everyone else, but he’s far too good to not win again and start playing well again.

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Team UK

PGA Tour: Tommy Fleetwood Recaps Final Hole Collapse at 2020 Honda Classic

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 01: Tommy Fleetwood of England reacts to his birdie on the 17th green during the final round of the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa Champion course on March 01, 2020 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

PGA Tour and European Tour professional Tommy Fleetwood speaks to the media after finding the water on the 72nd hole at the 2020 Honda Classic and eventually losing the tournament.

PGA Tour: Tommy Fleetwood still searching for first career PGA Tour victory after coming up short at the Honda Classic

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Then playing the last I still had a chance. It’s fine margins in this game.

Q. When you have a sense that it’s that kind of a day that you just described, what’s the main thing you focus in on to hang around and have that chance on 18.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It’s important not to misjudge the finish line. You never know what’s going to happen. Didn’t have much going, but I was always there or thereabouts. I was in the lead for most of the day. So you just stay in and then you never know what’s going to happen in the end. Just keep going, just keep playing. I had a lovely look at birdie on 12 that didn’t go in and then made a mess of 13, but stuck in there — and that’s just a case of being patient. That’s all you can do. I didn’t do that much wrong really. It comes down to fine margins, like I said. It’s disappointing, but it was close.

2020 Honda Classic Full Leaderboard

Q. You said a win is important but it’s not the end of the world, you’ll see your family tomorrow, but how do you process coming so close?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Well, the shot on 18, it wasn’t a good feeling for the next 10 minutes when I was messing around trying to hit my wedge shot. It’s just disappointing. I feel fine right now. I think it’s important to make sure that you’re positive about it. You have enough people that will critique what you’ve done so. I’m going to do the same. I’m going to go back and look at what I could’ve done better. There are certain shots that I hit. At the end of the day, I felt like I was really good mentally, hung in there until the end and gave myself a chance at the last. But when the margins are small, that’s OK. I just said that I don’t feel like I’m getting worse at golf. I’ve just got to keep pushing. Absolutely I want to be a regular winner, but there’s no point in moaning and groaning about it now. It didn’t happen. There’s a lot of amazing players on the TOUR trying to win, and it’s not given, so I’ve just got to keep going and if I keep getting this close, it’ll happen.

Q. First of all, talk about that shot on 18; what was going through your mind? Did you ever think about a different shot, laying up?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: No, it was a tough one really. I had to hit a 4-iron which was clocking away, it was always going to be left, or I take the 5-wood on, which was like a really big cut, and that’s what you do, isn’t it, you play the shot. That’s all you can do. I hit a bad shot. Could have been a great shot, but actually as bad as it was, it could have landed three yards left and been on the edge of the green and I’d have had a chance. It is what it is. I was really enjoying the moment coming down there with a chance to win. I still had a chance to actually eagle it or birdie it and get in a playoff, and it just didn’t happen. But one bad shot, and that’s it.

Q. What was the conversation with Ian as you guys were getting ready?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Well, you look at the number, it was an awkward number yesterday. It was a slightly different wind, and I cut a 5-wood that pitched like 238. I had 239 to the pin today, but the wind was off the right. I felt like it was playing shorter, wasn’t hurting today. But there was only one shot really. Honestly, maybe at the time, you think, I had the world left and could have got up-and-down, but playing for that, I could have easily bailed left, not got up-and-down and then said, why did I bail out left. So you pick your shot and you hit it, and that’s it.

I think we picked the right shot 100 percent, I just didn’t pull it off.

Q. How good did you feel after the birdie-birdie start? Looked like everything was trending.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Well, yeah, I was going well. My swing wasn’t there today, like all day it wasn’t like a comfortable day in terms of shots that I stood over and I felt really good over, these look great. Examples are like 16 is like an ideal shot for me normally, and things weren’t quite there, but I hung in there. I still hit enough good golf shots and I still had enough chances. Just that was it really.

But like I say, I started off great, had chances, and I felt like I did a good job all day even when I made a couple bogeys. I was always hanging around. I never really got overly frustrated, never thought, oh, I’ve made bogey there or I’ve made bogey there, just moved on and kept doing a good job, and even without my game feeling as comfortable as it was I got to the end with a chance.

Q. There’s obviously a language barrier for a lot of guys in this game. Do you know Sungjae at all?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, we always say hello and talk. Well, I say talk, we never had like massively long conversations, but I always say hi. He’s always a guy that I would acknowledge. Not that we’ve had many conversations about technicalities of the game, but he seems like a nice guy.

Q. How long will this take you get over?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I’m disappointed now. Sungjae — somebody shot a better score than me. I tried my hardest, got close, getting closer, getting better, and — yeah, it’s disappointing and I’ll be thinking about it. Little things will come into your mind like what if or what if that, but it is what it is. We’ve got amazing events coming up, and my game is in good shape where I actually feel like I can hit it better, as well. I don’t feel like this week I’ve been absolutely — I’ve played some absolutely fantastic golf, but I still feel like my game could have felt better at times, and I think that’s something to look at and go away and work on. I feel like I can get sharper and keep playing better. It’s not to say I will, but I’m going to try.

Q. Along those lines, obviously very hard courses, very hard tournaments coming up this year. You have to feel like you’re in form for the bigger tests that are coming up?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I’ll absolutely look forward to them and keep working. And that’s the thing, with the way golf is now, just because I’ve made bogey on the last here, you don’t have time to go away and sit and sulk about it. Players are coming up next week, they want to win that tournament and if you’re playing well, make the most of it and hopefully I can do that next week.

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

March 1, 2020

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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Team UK

European Tour: Tommy Fleetwood Speaks on Huge Bounce Back Second Round at Omega Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 24: Tommy Fleetwood of England plays his third shot on the third hole during Day Two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 24, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

European Tour: Tommy Fleetwood speaks with the media following round two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in which he shot a score of 65 to rebound from his first round 75 to make it inside the cutline.

European Tour: Tommy Fleetwood speaks with the media following round two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Q. 75 yesterday, 65 today. Just tell us about that from your point of view. 10 shots in one day.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, it’s a good change. Yesterday was disappointing, I actually felt like I played okay, I had a real shocker on the greens. At the end of the day those bad days have to get better. But the positive is we practiced for a bit yesterday, I came out this morning, practiced my putting again, felt like I had a better idea of what I was doing. And that just — it doesn’t always work out like that, but just lucky that the bit of work that I did put in paid off today. Really felt like I, at times, I didn’t need hit it that great, but at times I did hit it really well today, and I just made putts, made up-and-downs and that makes a big big difference when you’re playing golf.

Q. Putting itself obviously improved significantly. Once you were out there and you sort of got your self through the cut line in terms of, I’m probably safe now, is it then about narrowing the gap to the top and does that change your mindset?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I think you never really want to think about the cut, but obviously when you start off at 3-over the first priority is to make sure that you made the cut and play for the weekend. I think that’s, I mean that is the first priority every time you peg it up week-to-week as professional golfers is to make cuts and make money. So, yeah, like that, first and foremost is try and get your self in the cut line. I feel like I navigated the front nine really well and the course has played so much harder this so you can’t take anything for granted, but I felt like once I got through the front nine, the back nine with three par-5s, feels like there was more chances on the back nine. So I felt very comfortable walking to the 10th tee. And just — but at no point was it trying get your self up the leaderboard, try and make the cut, it was just about doing my best, really. I’m not going to go through all the process stuff, but it was all that and at the end of the day it was a very, very good day and I was just happy that I got some momentum building. And like you say, not out of it yet.

Full Leaderboard: Omega Dubai Desert Classic 2020

Q. There was some attention obviously because you’ve got this record cut run going, people are discussing it saying 2018 43 tournaments, now makes 44. Even you must be impressed with that, it’s pretty darn good stuff.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, it’s something that I’m very proud of. I think that — I said before, I would like some more wins possibly as well, but to play week-in week-out and there’s always, it’s so easy to I think make excuses that, I wasn’t putting well this week or, like yesterday, I could have easily said, I’m putting terrible this week, just put it down to that and let’s get on with next week. And yeah, to have played that consistently over that course of time is something that I’m proud of and I think it shows a lot about how I go about things, about the people that I work with and the preparation that we put in, because I’m not going to have played well all those weeks and the standard of golf’s getting higher and higher, so something I’m very proud of, I’m sure it’s going to come to an end at some point, but for now just happy that I’m still here for the weekend.

January 24,2020

Dubai, UAE

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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Team UK

European Tour: Tommy Fleetwood Meets With The Media Ahead of Omega Dubai Desert Classic

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 19: Tommy Fleetwood of England looks on during Day 4 of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 19, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

European Tour professional Tommy Fleetwood speaks to the media ahead of the 2020 Omega Dubai Desert Classic previewing what he expects and also speaking on coming up just short at last week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Champion where he finished in second place behind winner Lee Westwood.

European Tour: Tommy Fleetwood talks 2020 Omega Dubai Desert Classic

CLARE BODEL: Well come to the Emirates Golf Club. You started with a great tied second place last woke in Abu Dhabi. You must be feel coming good coming to the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, last week was good. Spoke a couple of times, there’s a bit of unknown when you come back out. Last week, I think Thursday, I struggled Thursday I struggled, but in a good sense that I saw my tendencies come out. I saw I struggled a little bit, practiced and moved on to the next day and got better throughout the week and by the end of the week. The way I played and the way I hit my irons over the weekend, you know, I was struggling to actually build a lot of confidence and I felt really good.

You know, first week out, it’s easy to say like when I’ve done well for a few years, but it’s more the weeks where it can build a lot of momentum, but it’s not something that you put too much pressure on or look at too much. It’s just a week to build on, and it just happens to be a very big week of the year now with it being a Rolex Series Event and lucky enough to play well the last few years.

Full Leaderboard/Tee Times: Omega Dubai Desert Classic 2020

CLARE BODEL: Obviously there’s something about this part of the world that suits you. You’ve won a couple of times in Abu Dhabi, had a couple of Top-10s here and played well at the DP World. What is it about playing in the desert that you like?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I think most players feel very at home when they come out here. There’s so many events now in the Middle East or the UAE; for me, you always start the year out here and hopefully you end the year here. It’s not a given but generally we always end the year in Dubai.

You get used to the golf courses. That’s one side. But I just think as I’ve been playing better, I think there is certain — there’s certain players or there’s certain like styles of golf that fit and people do well around. I’ve not always done well in the Middle East. I feel like I’ve grown to improve, and actually I feel comfortable and it is such a great place to play golf.

I always feel like when we get to this stage, you’re throwing yourself into the game and it’s the first couple of weeks out and you can practice and you feel like you want to be here and you feel really good.

By the end of the year, it’s a great thing to have such a great event and yeah, just always feel like I’m very into golf when I get here.

CLARE BODEL: Is it important, do you think, for momentum to have a good start in the desert? Obviously you won in the region before going on to win The Race to Dubai. Does that help?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It definitely helps. I don’t want to put too much pressure on it because the year goes quick, but it is a long year in general. You know, so when you play good or bad, I think it’s important to keep the same attitude, so just because you’ve done well last week, doesn’t mean you come into this week feeling great, everything’s fine. You want to prepare and play this week like you missed the cut last week almost and make sure you’re pushing. There’s things everybody wants to improve. There’s things that people have worked on over the winter that really you’re only going to find out how it goes when you get under pressure.

So you know, you don’t want to put too much pressure on it but clearly people like Shane, myself, Sergio, Danny, they have won majors after winning early on, and in particular, last year Shane and myself, and ’17, I ended up winning The Race to Dubai. It clearly makes a very nice difference if you do well.

Q. You’ve probably grown up — trying to be respectful — you’ve probably grown up reading about Lee Westwood winning victories around the world. The fact he’s won over four decades, what does it say about his longevity in the game, and as a fellow Englishman, would he be an inspiration to people like yourself?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I think Lee — I think longevity, it’s going to be like the standard word used for him now. I think the thing is, you know, just because he’s — what is he, 47, 46? His swing hasn’t changed since he’s about 20 and it’s been working fine for the last three decades, so it might as well work in this one.

I think he’s in a really good place himself at the moment, and it’s a different inspiration now. Because you watch him play as a kid, and now you know, as well as he is a competitor, I class him as a friend and somebody that we can speak to and great to hang around with and learn off. I think we’re all lucky to have Lee out on the Tour and absolutely if you can aspire to somebody, Lee is a fantastic person, looking at his career and the way he’s played and how good he’s been for a long time. It’s very, very impressive. I think he’s a great person to have around.

Q. Just as a follow-up to that, obviously we know the role Lee had at The Ryder Cup in France, and got a long way to go to get back as a player, but how much of an achievement would that be if he could do that?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: 100 per cent, yeah. I loved having him around. He was the vice that was around me for two or three rounds, and he had a very calming influence. I guess when you’ve been there for ten, you’re pretty used to it and he knows what he’s doing. There’s no reason why he wouldn’t be on The Ryder Cup Team. I think we’d all love to be there. As a player, I think he’s got a lot to give.

Of course people, it’s going to be something people talk about now that he’s won the first event of the year, and I actually thought he would be on The Ryder Cup Team about six months ago. I think he’s been playing consistently really, really well for a year and a half, two years, and with a win, I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t be on the team.

Q. I missed the tee time over here, so I don’t know if you’ve been asked about this or not, but second at the DP World Tour Championship, second in Abu Dhabi; you must be sick and tired of being bridesmaid in the UAE?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It’s better than third. You know what, sometimes — I think one thing that I am learning is that — I think the great thing is, and the positive thing is, I’m putting myself up there now, and last year, I looked at the year and it was clearly frustrating that I had not won an event when I felt like I played some great golf.

Sometimes people just play better. You know, Jon in DP World played the best golf — he played the best golf throughout the year, really, and deserved to win The Race to Dubai. He played the best golf that week. I came up one shy last week; Lee was the best player on the weekend.

You know, there’s plenty of times that’s going to happen, but I’m not going to crumble at this at the moment. Of course, it’s so easy to look at, I missed the cut on Friday or I could have done this better. The great thing is that I’m there or thereabouts and if I can keep going that often enough and keep doing the same things, eventually get it will be my turn. I’d like to be the one that wins, but also, I’d rather be the guy that’s second or third or fifth and if I can keep my golf consistently, and if this is the level I’m playing at more often than not, then it’s a very, very good thing.

Q. Is there something about desert golf that you really like? Is there something technical about the golf course or something that really suits your eyes?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Not really. No all honesty, Abu Dhabi has felt like a hard golf course for me for a long time. I think after 2017, I turned up in 2018 and felt like it suited me a lot better but even this year there’s shots that just don’t fit my eye that often and I feel like I could do better on this course. I feel this course, I almost feel more comfortable on it than Abu Dhabi, but I haven’t played anywhere near as well on it.

I’d like to feel that the way I work and how I try and improve certain areas of my game, that generally most golf courses I feel like I’ve got a chance of competing on and doing well on. So just so happens that the Middle East has been very kind to me at the moment.

Q. Do you ever take much of an interest in the field at the start of the season? Obviously it’s been new names coming about, a 15-year-old this week, new young talent every week. Do you take an interest or do you just carry on?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: No, I’m very self-focused, really. I love the game and I love following the game when I’m kind of not playing, if you like. I still enjoy watching it on TV.

But I think, yeah, I just think any time I come to play, it’s how do I get the best out of it. I don’t really look at rankings too often. I just think there are extra things to think about that get in the way. Players, to be honest, there’s so many new players coming through, I think so many different dynamics to the Tour these days, I think last week is a prime example of how strong the standard is. That golf course, and the way Friday played, the cut nearly went to 2-under around this golf course, and that’s an unbelievable standard.

So guys are getting younger I guess, and new faces that are coming out that are hungry and talented. It’s always changing, but all I can do is improve myself, really, so I try and stick to that.

Q. You just said that you love playing golf in the Middle East and your record is pretty impressive here. When you do win at the start of the year, is there a temptation to add a couple of events as the year goes along?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I guess so — our schedule was done and started before Christmas and we’ll pretty much stick to that. There might be one that comes out or one that gets added it in. It really won’t change much.

I guess I’m getting used to the notion the last two years; trust yourself to play well when you decide you’re going to play and not just bulk up and play. I’ve always been somebody that plays a lot, and I think that as you get better and as more things arise, if you take this year, for example, hopefully there will be a Ryder Cup.

Hopefully there will be an Olympics and hopefully I’ll get all the way through to the end of the FedEx. You know, hopefully I’ll be at DP World in a chance to win in The Race to Dubai, and I think there’s so many things that go on in the year and I think it’s important that you trust yourself and you’re going to do the work and you’re going to play well when the time comes and not just get carried away with just trying to play all the time and hope for a result, if you like.

That’s something I’ve done in the past. Maybe that’s the wrong way of putting it, but it’s just different, and as my career is progressing, hopefully it keeps going in the right direction, and it is about knowing exactly what you’re going to play and not changing it and backing yourself to play in those events.

Q. What is an ideal stretch for you? Is it two weeks, three weeks, four weeks?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Honestly, I don’t really have one. I think more than four is getting a bit carried away, and I’m not somebody that likes to play one week on and then two or three weeks off. I definitely like at least two, but no more than four and then take it from there.

Like you say, so easy if you play well for three weeks in a row, so easy to carry on because you know you’re playing well. But yeah, it’s going to run out eventually, so you need to rest up.

Q. I was going to ask you about the major venues this year. Apart from Augusta, what do you know about the other three venues? Do you feel as though when you go to majors, you have the talent to be a Major Champion?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I hope so. I’ve been very close. Things could have gone either way in one or two majors in the past.

I haven’t played St. George’s, ever, and I’ve never played Winged Foot, but I know they are obviously very classical U.S. Open and an Open venue. I played Harding Park; I played that in the match play and enjoyed it. Actually played well that week and obviously Augusta is Augusta.

The majors are the toughest tests and that’s it. They challenge every part of our game. They challenge your mental side. They challenge patience and if you’re up there with a chance to win, they challenge how ready you are to go on and win those events. Unfortunately it’s not happened for me yet, but like I say, hopefully my career is progressing in the right way to eventually become a Major Champion.

Those are really the events that change your life or change your career. They can definitely add to your career. Any time they come around, like I say, it’s a test, really, because everybody wants to win those ones. You can put so much emphasis on, which is actually right, and some people are better at winning than others. I think last year, preparation, I got a couple of things wrong; disappointed but you learn, and hopefully I’ll be better at that this year.

You’re talking about second-place finishes in the last couple events in the UAE or second-place finishes in the in majors, the positive thing is they’re second-place finishes, I’m up there plenty of times, and hopefully it’s just a matter of time and eventually it will be my time and I would love to get one whenever that is.

CLARE BODEL: Thank you, Tommy.

January 21, 2020

Dubai, UAE

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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European Tour: Tommy Fleetwood Talks Closing Round 63 at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 19: Tommy Fleetwood of England tees off on the 16th hole during Day 4 of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 19, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

European Tour and PGA Tour professional Tommy Fleetwood speaks to the media about his final round 63 and his 29th birthday. Fleetwood finished the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with a final score of -17 under par and in a tie for second place.

European Tour: Tommy Fleetwood revisits closing round 63 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Q. You’re 29 years old today, one more than that number to the turn, 63 to close. Tell us about it.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It was good, really good. Felt like the whole week, really, gradually got better. Felt like I struggled on Thursday. Had a really about practice session and played really good Friday when it was really tough conditions. Felt like I played so good yesterday and hit a couple of ropey drives and missed a couple of putts and 5-under was really the worst the could have been and then today just got out and played great, really.

It’s weird, a little disappointed on the last, just got the tee shot way, and even then, the last, the wedge, can’t seem to get it right all these years. But you couldn’t really complain about 63, final day.

Full Leaderboard: Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 2020

Q. You know how the final few holes are playing. Is 17-under going to be a little shy?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I’m pretty sure. I don’t want to call it, you never know, but I’m pretty sure. I think Lee obviously looks like he’s playing really, really good, and with sort of — yeah, the way the last four holes played, I think 15 is a nice wind for that pin and it’s always a pretty flat green, and 16, 17, 18, you’re hitting tee shots downwind. Looks like Lee is playing great. I’m happy to have put a weekend’s golf in and it’s a nice start to the year.

Q. Incredible 63 in your final round. You must have felt disheartened that every time you’re making tremendous strides through the field, Lee is making birdies matching yours?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I think you just concentrate on what you’re doing and every time, every week we play, somebody is going to play great golf and at the moment that’s Lee. I’m very, very happy with my weekend, felt like I played some really good golf.

At the end of the day, golf is very, very difficult and there’s so many top, top players now, I think this week shows the standard when the cut was nearly 2-under and it felt so difficult, and then you always look at the winning score. The winning score is better than what you think it is and to have another good result in these events is great. Just happy with my own performance, and if Lee goes on to do it, then fair play to him.

Q. Is there one part of your game you’re most satisfied about coming back, new tournament, new season?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I think the week’s been satisfying in a way that I struggled on Thursday, and I think after — I’ve been practicing really well, and Thursday, got out there, didn’t play as well as I wanted to. I said after the round, I think it was good in a sense that the tendencies showed up, I can work on them, come back the next day and try again. As the week progressed, my prep’s been good and my iron play has been brilliant, especially over the weekend, I feel like it’s been as sharp as it has been for the last year and years gone by.

Putted well over the weekend. So the game is progressing. My short game this week, I didn’t make many bogeys; that’s something to be happy with. It’s always the first week of the year, and you never quite know what’s going to turn up, so happy that I performed, happy with how I feel and it was nice getting the juices flowing really, on the last, knowing that I could post a score.

January 19, 2020

Abu Dhabi, UAE

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports