Fleetwood begins his bid to take on world

Tommy Fleetwood will make no excuses as he looks to become a global star and major champion by competing on both sides of the Atlantic.

Fleetwood won twice on the European Tour last season on his way to topping the year-long Race to Dubai and started 2018 in superb style by successfully defending his title in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

However, the 27-year-old is not content with being a big fish in a little pond and, despite becoming a father for the first time recently, will compete on the PGA Tour and European Tour this season, a move which has not always paid off for Europe’s elite.

“I guess the next stage in my career would be to win a PGA Tour event and move up that way,” Fleetwood told a pre-tournament press conference ahead of his debut in the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club in California.

“It’s great to have the opportunities to come out here and play. If you want to be one of the world’s best players, you have to do it in America.

“You’re playing with the world’s best players and it’s definitely something I want to do more of.

“I’m looking forward to coming out here and testing my game on different courses and kind of a little bit of a different style of golf.

“I do want to be one of the best players in the world and this and Europe, the top-end events is where it’s all at really.”

Blairgowrie’s Bradley Neil and Connor Syme of Drumoig are part of a strong Scottish contingent contesting the inaugural NBO Oman Open this week.

The Greg Norman-designed course at Al Mouj Golf has hosted five Challenge Tour events, including the season-ending NBO Golf Classic Grand Final from 2015-17, but is making its debut on the main European Tour circuit.

The first-year professionals are joined in the field by fellow Scots Paul Lawrie, Richie Ramsay, Marc Warren, David Drysdale, Stephen Gallacher, Duncan Stewart, David Law, Robert MacIntyre and Scott Henry.

Scottish-born Steven Troup, a professional at the host club, is also in the field.