HE’S THE DADDY
Fleetwood hails biggest day of his career as he is crowned Europe’s No1
Eighteen months ago, tommy Fleetwood was struggling so badly with his game he wanted to pull out of the BMW PgA Championship at Wentworth. ‘i was embarrassed by my golf and scared what might happen,’ he recalled.
At the end of a nerve-shredding conclusion to the Race to Dubai yesterday, the 26-year- old from Southport completed his transformation by winning the seasonlong competition and joining the list of european greats who adorn the harry Vardon trophy.
When this particular race began last november, Fleetwood had never been inside the top 10 of any edition during his career. no wonder he looked stunned and unable to fully comprehend his achievement as he contemplated his new status as the standard bearer of the european tour.
‘What i do know is it’s by far the biggest day of my career, even if it will take a while to sink in,’ he said.
in the end, he needed a little help from Justin Rose at the season finale, the DP World tour Championship. the 37-year- old discovered over the final seven holes that not even all he has achieved provided protection from the devastating attack of the jitters that he suffered with the finish line in sight.
A man who had registered just three bogeys over his first 65 holes had three more in the next five to see not only the tournament — won by Spaniard Jon Rahm — but the main prize of the Order of Merit, as it used to be known, slip agonisingly from his grasp. even two bogeys would have been enough to clamber over the line for the latter trophy. After 47 tournaments, that’s how fine the margin was between the disbelieving winner and a runnerup wondering how on earth he’d thrown it all away.
Alongside all the great days, Rose has known plenty of disappointments during his career, including the crushing play- off loss to Sergio garcia at the Masters in April, and you could tell from his ashen face this was another that will really sting.
Let’s hope over the next few days he’ll remember the incredible run he put together to set up the compelling 72-hole climax, including two successive victories achieved by holing putts on the final green each time.
As for the victor, what a journey it has been, one that really took off down the road from here in Abu Dhabi in January, when he held off world no 1 Dustin Johnson to win his first title in four years. he’s always been a prodigious ball striker but now he was armed with self- belief and a steadfast putting stroke, painstakingly put together by a combination of a ferocious work ethic plus the wise tutelage of the world’s best putting coach and another Southport man, Phil Kenyon.
Fleetwood challenged for his first major, the US Open in June, and then won the French Open. that was the day he decided to put his heart and soul into winning the Order of Merit. not even the joy of becoming a father for the first time in September could deflect him, as he embarked on a punishing run of six tournaments in seven weeks.
Back-to-back 65s had set up the Sunday showdown with Rose but it was no surprise that the experienced man held all the aces early on. Rose looked bullet-proof, and a cast-iron certainty.
By contrast, all the life drained from Fleetwood and a flurry of late mistakes meant he signed for a 74. now all he could do was wait.
Yet out on the course, to universal astonishment, Mr Bullet-Proof had shot himself in the foot. A bogey at the 12th was followed by a terrible error at the par-five 14th, where his second shot finished in the water. A tiddler missed on that hole was followed by another at the 16th.
Rose gathered himself and almost holed a bunker shot at the 17th. At the 18th, he struck a wonderful second shot to the front of the green. now it all came down to one shot. if Rose could sink the lengthy eagle putt he left himself, he would still win the Race to Dubai. if he missed, he would lose out. it went close enough to register a birdie, but to Rose it must have felt like it finished a million miles away.
‘i’m not sure i can explain it right now but i guess i just hit a wall,’ said Rose.
As for the day’s other winner, Rahm began the week with some questioning his right to be acclaimed as rookie of the year, given he supported few regular european tour events.
With this victory, Rahm exposed such thinking as pure parochialism, and there’s no doubt we’re at the start here of one of the great european careers.
All england should be proud too, for Fleetwood’s success gave this memorable golf year its fairytale ending.