Tommy Fleetwood Arrives At East Lake As Relatable Contender On Brink Of Greatness

The wide euphoria that surrounded Rory McIlroy’s Masters triumph served arsenic nan finest illustration of a infinitesimal erstwhile play observers want a subordinate to win. This, aft all, is expected to beryllium a non-tribal situation speech from nan play each 2 years erstwhile Europe look USA and group connected either broadside of nan ropes return time off of their senses.

Golf’s adjacent pursuit of nan beatified grail belongs to Tommy Fleetwood. Defeat from positions of spot astatine nan Travelers and St Jude championships threw up an unwanted statistic. In 163 PGA Tour starts, Fleetwood is yet to look victorious. As striking arsenic that earthy number – Fleetwood’s talent is specified that 1 assumes he should person claimed a batch of trophies successful nan US – is nan truth group are consenting him to extremity his drought. Fleetwood is relatable, likable, popular. He besides has nary objection to nan chat presently whirling astir him.

“I’m not going to provender you lies and say: ‘Oh, successful Memphis I thought I did everything great, aliases Travelers I didn’t do thing wrong,’” Fleetwood said. “Of people I sewage things incorrect down nan agelong and it didn’t hap for me.

“You study from those experiences. I would alternatively you beryllium questioning maine astir not finishing tournaments disconnected than not questioning maine astatine each astir anything. So I’ve evidently shown a batch of really bully worldly and put myself successful awesome positions.

“I conscionable want to put myself location again. I want to springiness myself different chance. I’ll decorativeness it disconnected astatine immoderate point. I’ll get it correct and I’ll get it correct much than once. But being location is really nan difficult part, successful a way.

“I don’t consciousness for illustration I person to rattle disconnected each nan bully stuff. I conscionable request to beryllium alert of it, cognize that I’m doing nan correct things and cognize that there’s still things that I tin get better. I usage nan disappointments arsenic information and I usage nan bully worldly arsenic assurance boosting.”

At East Lake this week, different PGA Tour play will conclude. Scottie Scheffler will look to property his power of nan crippled by lifting nan Tour Championship and FedEx Cup.

Just arsenic destiny yet smiled connected McIlroy, a two-hour thrust distant successful April, could it yet beryllium Tommy’s time? His reliability and adjacent shave history is emphasised by six runner-up finishes connected nan PGA Tour, nan aforesaid number of thirds, 30 apical 50s and 44 apical 10s. He is nan 10th-ranked subordinate successful nan world. “Best lawsuit script coming down nan agelong astatine East Lake pinch a chance to win,” Fleetwood said.

“Whether I get it correct aliases not, whether it happens aliases not, whether personification plays amended aliases not, I’ll talk astir that astatine nan time. But I would emotion to get location and springiness myself that chance again.”

Tommy Fleetwood reacts to his putt connected nan 15th greenish during nan last information of nan Travelers. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

In short, nan 34-year-old has not been burned by falling short. “It’s funny really, you locomotion disconnected nan people connected Sunday past week and I was happier pinch a 4th spot decorativeness than I was pinch a 3rd successful Memphis,” Fleetwood said.

“It’s a unusual crippled that way. I americium very happy pinch nan consistency of my play and nan level I’ve been playing at. Golf is simply a crazy game. You ne'er cognize what you’re going to move up pinch week successful and week retired but this twelvemonth has been a very bully year.”

Fleetwood knows really to get complete nan line. He has done it 8 times elsewhere successful nan world. Fleetwood has besides been successful erstwhile progressive successful tight scraps. The quality of caller events, arsenic opposed to halfway results, is what has brought Fleetwood’s business into crisp focus. He missed retired connected a playoff successful Memphis by a shot, having led by 2 pinch 3 holes to play.

At nan Travelers, Keegan Bradley usurped Fleetwood aft nan Southport man three-putted nan 72nd hole. Fleetwood was intelligibly dejected during post-tournament media duties astatine some but location was nary earthy moment, nary smashed club, nary fist done a window. Yes, nan grin had vanished but not for long.

“I get disappointed and I get angry,” Fleetwood said. “I’ve thrown nan overseas nine successful nan h2o erstwhile I’m retired location and possibly consciousness a spot amended for a while. But I’m not that awesome astatine being angry. It conscionable doesn’t suit me. I conscionable benignant of fto it go. I activity really difficult connected letting things go, moving on. Not that overmuch awesome comes from those moments of anger.

“But for illustration I say, for illustration anybody, I get disappointed, I get frustrated, I get angry. I uncertainty myself. Of people I do. It’s each portion of being a master jock and portion of trying to pursuit your dreams and execute awesome things against unbelievable golfers.”