It’s maybe an instance of how time is fleeting when you think about that Tommy Fleetwood is now in his fifteenth yr as a golf professional. For a lot of golf followers, it’ll really feel just like the younger child got here onto the scene simply yesterday together with his flowing locks and good humor. Fleetwood has not all the time set the world alight together with his golf, however he’s a grinder and able to magical moments. He’s additionally extremely constant, which is without doubt one of the foremost causes he’s consistently in and world wide’s high ten within the OWGR rankings.
Fleetwood heads to Augusta on the weekend, not among the many favorites within the Masters betting markets. That’s comprehensible for a participant who has not but received on the PGA Tour however has loads of good performances to level to over time. Certainly, he’ll look again fondly at his efficiency on the 2024 Masters, the place he completed third. Will probably be troublesome for Fleetwood to enhance on that, particularly in gentle of the type of event favorites like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, but it’s actually not not possible.
Fleetwood has achieved properly within the Majors
Arguably, Fleetwood’s performances in Majors have gone beneath the radar over latest years. The Southport-born 34-year-old has completed within the high 10 5 occasions within the final 11 Majors, together with 4 high 5 finishes. It’s a wonderful report, and one most golf execs would like to have. He’s additionally introduced outstanding consistency on the excursions, having solely missed the minimize in a single event within the final 12 months.
The query, maybe, is what kind of participant is Fleetwood? He not often struggles throughout his 4 rounds in his tournaments, but chopping constantly seems to be one of the best ways to maintain him within the high 15 or 20 with excessive frequency. Thus, some wonder if that’s his restrict, having a tidy, constant recreation that doesn’t have the x-factor required to problem on the highest stage. Or is he simply ready for the precise alternative?
An opportunity could current itself at Augusta.
We’re most likely within the latter camp. Sports activities media protection tends to focus extra on clutch moments than golfers themselves. The ideas of type and alternative matter most to them going right into a event of any description. We are saying this as a result of it has been espoused by Rory McIlroy, who (after dropping the US Open to Bryson DeChambeau final yr) talked about how he will get perspective from interested by type and alternative. In brief, in case you are enjoying properly, alternatives will come; it’s possible you’ll take them or not.
The purpose, as such, is that McIlroy isn’t interested by titanic battles taking place the again 9. He’s simply interested by his recreation. Different golfers, Fleetwood included, are the identical. We don’t consider that Fleetwood has the identical expertise stage as McIlroy, however when he performs properly sufficient, his type provides him the form of alternatives he mentioned. We noticed that on the Masters final yr and at The Open in 2019 and 2022. A little bit of luck right here and there, and Fleetwood might have been a Main winner.
In fact, all of that is hypothetical. Maybe Fleetwood fails to shine at Augusta over the weekend, however maybe not. He’s an unflappable character, and will probably be fascinating to see what he’ll do ought to the chance current itself within the yr’s first Main.
