Tommy is up for the flight
DESTINY: Tommy Fleetwood wants to be in charge TOMMY FLEETWOOD will clock up more than 22,000 air miles in four weeks in an all-out bid to cap a brilliant season by winning the Race to Dubai.
Fleetwood has a lead of more than 865,000 points over nearest rival Sergio Garcia, with Justin Rose another 190,000 adrift.
But Fleetwood is leaving nothing to chance as he tries to finish as European No1.
Despite becoming a father for the first time recently, the 26-year-old from Southport is the only Race to Dubai contender who will contest the last four events – Shanghai, Turkey, South Africa and Dubai.
“Can you imagine if I had a week off and lost by 20 grand? I can’t let that happen,” said Fleetwood ahead of the Turkish Open.
“If I don’t win it now, if somebody like Justin or Sergio were to win an event, I can’t do anything about that. But if I’d left it out of my control I’d have been quite unhappy.
“It’s massive, it’s the Race to Dubai. It’s one of the biggest things you can achieve. But all you can do is what you can do that week.
“There’s pressure but it’s good pressure. A few years ago I had to finish in the top 10 in the final event to keep my card. I’d rather be doing this than that.”
Fleetwood said of Rose’s dramatic win in the WGC-HSBC Champions on Sunday: “In terms of wanting to win the Race to Dubai it wasn’t ideal, but I was happy for him.
“I like him. He’s one of the people who have been nice to me, in particular this year.
“It means he’s a win away from overtaking or catching me. But I’m a win away from putting it pretty much out of reach.” BURNLEY chairman Mike Garlick admits Everton’s interest in Sean Dyche is “the price of success” but has not given up hope of persuading his manager to stay.
Dyche is among the contenders to take over at Goodison Park following the sacking of Ronald Koeman, although it is understood Everton are still considering their options.
David Unsworth, Everton’s Under-23s manager, has been in charge of the first team for the past two games – defeats at Chelsea in the Carabao Cup and Leicester in the Premier League.
Unsworth is expected to remain in charge when Everton take on Lyon in the Europa League tomorrow and host Watford on Sunday, after which there is an international break.
Sam Allardyce, out of work since resigning as Crystal Palace manager in May, has indicated he would be interested in the Everton job.
He is one of the names being considered, although he is not thought to be first choice.
Dyche celebrated five years in charge at Burnley on Monday with a 1-0 home win over Newcastle that lifted his side to seventh in the table.
His success in transforming Burnley from a mid-table Championship club to one sitting in the top half of the Premier League has won him plenty of admirers and Dyche was a contender for the Leicester job last month before it went to Claude Puel.
That came just months after Dyche was linked with the vacancy at Palace, with Frank De Boer instead getting the job.
Garlick has made it clear he would love his manager to stay at Turf Moor for another five years but is aware there is bound to be interest in him.
“That’s the price of success, I guess,” said the Burnley chairman. “The more success we get, the more people are going to look at him. But we look after him well and we hope he’s going to be here for a long time.”
Dyche has a £2.5million buy-out clause in his contract and Garlick said the club were not yet looking for potential replacements.
“It’s not something we’re thinking about right now,” Garlick said. “There’s one person on our list and that’s ❑ SOUTHAMPTON and Northern Ireland captain Steven Davis spoke of his honour to receive his MBE for services to football at Buckingham Palace yesterday.
Davis was presented with his medal by the Duke of Cambridge, who is president of the Football Association.
Davis, 32, said: “To get it in any given field is huge and to still be playing as well, it’s unbelievable.
“It’s nothing I ever expected, to be honest.” Sean Dyche. We hope that continues for a long time, another five years hopefully.”
Dyche refused to rule himself out of the running for the Leicester job before Puel’s appointment. It is understood he would be interested in the right opportunity to move on. Burnley’s players have also made it clear they want Dyche to stay, having enjoyed a series of impressive results this season.
They have gathered eight points from their first five away matches, with wins at champions Chelsea and Everton as well as draws at big guns Liverpool and Tottenham.
Defender Matt Lowton has suggested the club are more than capable of finishing in the top half of the Premier League if they continue their momentum.
Lowton said: “The gaffer has done a great job since he’s been here. Everybody knows that and it’s up to us as players to keep going and get the results.
“It’s been a fantastic start. We’ve given ourselves a great platform to move on throughout the season.
“We keep picking up points and there’s no reason why we can’t stay in the top half.”
Midfielder Jeff Hendrick, scorer of the winning goal on Monday, said: “I’ve enjoyed working for him. I’ve been here just over a year and I’ve enjoyed every moment.
“We work hard during the week but that’s the bare minimum he wants on a match day and then he gives us that freedom to go and play football.” ❑ BRIGHTON are planning a £5million January swoop for Sunderland defender Lamine Kone.
Sunderland rejected a £16m bid for Kone, 28, from Everton in January 2016. But the Championship strugglers are willing to sell the Ivory Coast international to cut their wage bill.
Brighton manager Chris Hughton wants competition for first choice centre-backs Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy.