THOMAS GEARED UP FOR
TOMMY FLEETWOOD will take time away from the hullabaloo of his Ryder Cup debut to quietly celebrate his son’s first birthday.
star will tee-off for Europe in Paris just two years after he’d slumped to No.188 in the world rankings.
But the 27-year-old has since gone on to win the Race to Dubai, finish runner-up at the US Open – and become the proud father to young Frankie.
World No.12 Fleetwood said: “Friday will be such a special day for a couple of reasons – it is going to be amazing.
“From where I was in the ranking, this is a bit of a pinch-yourself moment.
“I was nowhere near the team two years ago.
“At the start of the year you always set goals, and I like to write them down.
“And that Friday is Frankie’s first birthday.
“I’ve always had it in my head how special it’s going to be waking up that day.
“I’m not going to see him straight away because we are so busy.
“He’ll be at another hotel, staying with my motherin-law. But the thought that it’s a day I’ll always remember is one I keep going back to a lot. It was great timing – I said to my wife Clare, ‘Tonight’s the night!’. I might try to Facetime him if he’s awake first thing – we’ll see if he’s up. “It would be nice if I can see him sometime during the day – he doesn’t know it’s his birthday, but I do. “I’ll definitely try to find him for 10 minutes and have a cuddle.” Fleetwood has been guaranteed to make the European team since his final round 63 saw him finish second at the US Open in June. So he has spent the summer seeking out advice from his team-mates about facing the Americans in the Ryder Cup cauldron at the Le Golf National course where he won the French Open last year.
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Last season’s European No.1, who practised with potential partners Rory Mcilroy and Francesco Molinari before this week’s Tour Championship, said: “The one key thing that keeps coming across is the pressure that you feel is just the same for everyone, and you’ve got to embrace it.
“There’s no way of avoiding it. You need to know it’s coming and look forward to it, and they all said it is the most pressure you are ever going to feel, so be ready.
“And you have to accept you are going to hit bad golf shots at times – just hit more good ones.
“I’ll still have to play through feelings I’ve never felt before, but thankfully ’ve got feelings like contending in Majors, winning tournaments and winning the Race to Dubai to fall back on.
“And I’ve played here in the States quite a bit over the past two years.
“There’s quite a bit of familiarity with their players and the experiences I’ve built up have got to be some kind of preparation for what’s coming at the Ryder Cup.”
Fleetwood is one of five rookies on the European team – along with Tyrrell Hatton, Jon Rahm, Alex Noren and Thorbjorn Olesen – who will be leaning on the experience of the veterans like Ian Poulter.
“If you mention one thing in relation to Ian Poulter I think it would be Ryder Cup. We’re lucky to have him,” Fleetwood added.
“The one thing we do have in that team is guys who have such a presence, and such a Ryder Cup aura. I don’t think there’s a better group you could be around as a rookie.” JUSTIN THOMAS has claimed Le Golf National course will take the driver out of the hands of his fellow American big-hitters — and give the Europeans a huge home advantage.
In 2016, Europe star Thomas Pieters slammed the Hazeltine layout for the Usa-hosted Ryder Cup as “ridiculous” because it allowed the likes of wayward Phil Mickelson to carve his ball “six fairways left or right” and compete.that’s a world away from the test awaiting the USA at the “strategic” Parisian course this time.
However, former world No.1 Thomas, 25, is still a big fan of Le Golf National, after finishing tied eighth there at the French Open in July.
The 2017 US PGA champion said he only used his driver seven times in four rounds on a layout which punishes any failure to find the fairway. The world No.4 said: “I loved playing there. It is in a great spot, it’s a great course with a great vibe there.
“It’s a very strategic course – you have to play for position. I hit seven drivers in four days in the French Open.
“The fairways were extremely narrow, and the rough very long.
“So it was all about getting the ball in the fairway and from there you