Fleetwood savours his new status as ‘Moliwood’ star
Briton laps up limelight after stunning debut Big sponsorship deals ahead, experts predict
Tommy Fleetwood last night revealed the secret behind his triumphant Ryder Cup pairing with Francesco Molinari, describing how the close friends plotted to play together while on holiday in the Bahamas.
The pair – now known collectively as “Moliwood” – joined their wives on a five-star island beach break to recover after the PGA Championship in August.
Fleetwood told how he and Molinari discussed their potential dream partnership on the beach be- fore captain Thomas Bjorn showed “faith” by pairing them throughout the foursomes and fourballs.
“We saw that coming,” said Fleetwood after his heroics at Le Golf National. “We have made our own little bit of history together.”
The 27-year-old – whose comedy video routine in bed with Molinari attracted millions of views yesterday – said he was revelling in his star status.
Marketing experts told The Daily Telegraph the pair were now likely to become Europe’s biggest sponsorship pull ahead of the next biennial match in 2020. Fleetwood said the Ryder Cup was the closest thing golfers come to being a rock star or a footballer scoring a goal in a World Cup final.
“That is our World Cup,” he added. “It is very, very cool.”
Mark Thompson, managing director of sponsorship management firm Sponserve, said they could become “one of the most valuable partnerships in golf history”. He added: “It will be another two years until they play together, but managed correctly, we could see them signing lucrative sponsorship deals together in the near future.”
Meanwhile, Carsten Thode, chief strategy office at sports marketing firm Synergy, added that the pair were already “top of the list” for opportunities ahead of the next showdown with America.
“They now have a special story,” he said. “Their demand as ambassadors will massively rise. The general size of their profile elsewhere may depend on their performances in majors. Those two are top of my list for any Ryder Cup campaign.”
Lancastrian Fleetwood was unable to equal Molinari’s five points at Le Golf National, suffering a onesided 6&4 defeat in the singles by Tony Finau on Sunday. However, the most confident Ryder Cup debut in recent memory has prompted comparisons with talismanic teammate Ian Poulter.
Unlike his understated friend Molinari, Evertonian Fleetwood says he is ready to become a superstar. “It is good with me. I have been doing something right. Believe me, it is way better than when you are working your b------s off and nobody knows who you are or wants to talk to you. It is the much better scenario.”
Fleetwood added: “Moliwood is quite catchy – it has worked out rather well”. He continued: “We were a perfect match in the end. Sometimes things work, they come off. Our games suit each other really well, we get on well and it was a good course for us.”
‘Believe me, it is way better than when nobody knows you or wants to talk to you’
Describing his bond with Molinari, he added: “We spend quite a lot of time together anyway.”
His wife and manager, Clare is also “very close” with Molinari’s wife Valentina. “We were actually on holiday in the Bahamas together when we started talking about the Ryder Cup. We were more than likely going to play the first day and then it was down to us to play well together. And we were a perfect match in the end.”
He said the magnitude of the achievement by his team was still sinking in, adding: “The Ryder Cup, for sure, changes people’s careers – sometimes good, sometimes bad. I will be fine – I am sure I will be ready.”
Fleetwood, who two years ago slumped to No188 in the world, said Bjorn had been in constant contact with the team in recent months.
“Thomas is always in contact with everyone anyway,” he said. “So, any time you have got a thought, or he has a thought, you would be on the phone or texting.”