Ballesteros award boost for Fleetwood

‘It’s actually made me the most emotional out of all of them’

Reigning Abu Dhabi HSBC Champion Tommy Fleetwood has landed in the capital at the back of what can be termed as his path-breaking 2017 season.

Fleetwood, who started the season ranked 100 after clinching the Falcon Trophy here, went on to win the HNA Open de France and finished as No. 1 on European Tour.

The son of the lorry driver from Southport in England thus showed what one can achieve by years of perseverance in a sport that many believe is a preserve for the elite. With a series of noteworthy performances, he leapfrogged into the 18th spot in the World Rankings and in the process seems to have also won the hearts of his contemporaries on tour. The crowning glory and a huge shot in the arm ahead of his title defence came yesterday when he was handed over the Seve Ballesteros Award, the ‘Players Player of the Year’ award voted by the players.

“It’s actually made me the most emotional among all of them. Yeah, I think just that award in particular, having it voted for by the players is special,” said an elated Fleetwood, adding that there are so many players on the Tour whom he looks up to and tries to learn from.

“I’ve made a lot of friends, and I think for people to vote for me as the Player of the Year is just, yeah, it’s something else, that, really. It’s different to anything I’ve achieved before. It’s a bit, yeah, very flattering, very humbling, really,” added Fleetwood, who comes into the tournament at the back of the EurAsia Cup win in Malaysia under captain Thomas Bjorn.

With that showing, it will be a surprise if Fleetwood does not qualify automatically for September’s Ryder Cup, at Le Golf National outside Paris.