Tommy’s got eye of the Tiger
BY EUAN McLEAN TOMMY FLEETWOOD says taming the Tiger Woods circus at Augusta was final proof he’s ready to be a serious Major contender.
The Southport star will tee up at the US Open on Thursday eager to show he’s come a long way from his big break last year at Erin Hills.
His stunning fourthplace finish was only the first encouraging sign he’s got the game to claim one of golf’s big four prizes.
He outscored Woods by four shots after being drawn to play with him for the first two days of his comeback at year’s US Masters.
And his latest Major experience proved to Fleetwood he has the big-time mentality to handle the pressure of competing in the top tournaments.
He said: “It was an amazing time to be drawn with Tiger. There was such an atmosphere and anticipation about him playing.
“On the Thursday morning I’d put it to about three feet and still had to finish off after Tiger had holed out – and everybody just turned around and started walking off. That was my first experience of that.
“I enjoyed it. It all comes down to being able to relax and focus on playing your own game no matter what’s going on around you.”
That’s the biggest confidence boost that Fleetwood took from last year’s US Open when he was tied for the lead at the halfway stage and went into the final round in the second last group, just one shot off leader Brian Harman.
Six hours and 18 holes later it was his playing partner Brooks Koepka who lifted the trophy but Fleetwood still left Wisconsin content with a bag full of self-belief, knowing he’d taken a giant leap forward.
He added: “It was very big in proving to myself that I can do it and stay up there through four days of a Major.”
Tougher lessons were to come a month later when Fleetwood found himself thrust into The Open on his doorstep as a home favourite to lift the Claret Jug.
A nightmare opening round of 76 dampened his local crowd’s excitement but again he was pleased with how he dug deep to regroup and finish strongly to clinch a tie for 27th place.
He added: “I’ll always look back on the Friday as one of the best rounds of my life, shooting 69 to make the cut in those conditions when I’d shot a terrible first round.
“The expectation was high but the experiences and feelings I took from Birkdale were amazing.”