Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Tommy’s gunning for more as he keeps shooting the lights out
TOMMY Fleetwood almost struck gold for us at the Honda Classic.
The likeable Scouser came in each-way at 30/1 and his fourth place finish is another reminder of his current standing in the world.
Tommy has enjoyed a whirlwind 13 months since winning in Abu Dhabi at the start of 2017.
He backed it up with a triumph at the Open de France in July, finished fourth at the US Open and climaxed a superb season by winning the Race to Dubai title in November.
Anyone who thought his 2017 might be a flash in the pan has been silenced in recent weeks.
Fleetwood retained the HSBC Championship last month and has recorded five top-six finishes in his last seven outings. It looks as if success will be the norm for him moving forward.
Padraig Harrington (inset) has always maintained your average week’s display remains the truest barometer of where your game is at. Not the highs and lows.
Fleetwood’s performances are consistently high these days and that’s why he has climbed to 11th in the world, his highest ever ranking.
It’s also why he is currently Europe’s No1 player. His game went through the wringer a few years back and a rash decision to alter his swing proved a disastrous move.
He has endured a few air pockets along the way, including a dip in form that saw him crash to 188th in the world as recently as September 2016.
But it’s how you deal with adversity that determines your fate and Tommy has shown immense grit and character to get himself to the brink of the world top-10.
His biggest challenge this year will be expectation. Success can be a cruel mistress, particularly if you’ve been through a trough and come out the other side.
Now that you’re riding a crest of a wave, what happens next?
Do you change? Is the person in the mirror still the same?
I’ve witnessed first hand how a higher profile can affect certain golfers. They forget where they’re from and fall into the trap of presenting an exaggerated image of themselves to the media and wider public.
Remaining true to your personality and game remains one of the biggest challenges – but to date Fleetwood has mastered his new environment and status.
Does it surprise me? No, because not only are his feet firmly planted on the ground, he is a happy, content golfer away from the course.
He maintains a simple outlook on life and appears determined to stay hungry.
After his final round in Florida, Tommy said he was enjoying life and golf at the moment.
Smelling the roses along the way is key.
Keeping things simple and playing a sport he loves for a living should motivate him to achieve even more.