‘Lots of us talk about LIV so I wanted to see it’ - Tommy Fleetwood on LIV Golf visit

Golf’s rich tapestry is demonstrated by Tommy Fleetwood’s start to 2024. The Englishman opened the year by seeing off Rory McIlroy to win in dramatic circumstances in Dubai. His subsequent visit to LIV Golf’s event in Las Vegas triggered a social media frenzy, given the interest the rebel circuit has been known to have in Fleetwood in the past. Fleetwood will begin a three-week US tournament stretch – which includes the Masters – from Thursday. Thereafter, he will caddie for his stepson in a Challenge Tour competition in Abu Dhabi.

Fleetwood’s LIV stop-off was perfectly innocent. The 33‑year‑old was in Nevada visiting his coach, Butch Harmon. Still, it was notable that Fleetwood was relaxed enough in his own mind regarding speculation that he dropped by the Las Vegas Country Club.

“I really didn’t think that much about it,” Fleetwood says. “I was over there, lots of us talk about LIV but never see it so I wanted to see what a tournament was like. There are also so many people there that we don’t see any more, who I would still class as friends. Players, people who work on the tour, my trainer works there. So I had a free morning, went for a few hours and that was it.”

Tyrrell Hatton’s switch to LIV after the DP World Tour’s Middle East swing arrived at a time when the Saudi Arabian-backed league also had eyes on Fleetwood. Thus far, LIV has failed to make further inroads into the European Ryder Cup team by coaxing the charismatic Fleetwood. His appearance in Vegas, though, sent golf’s chattering classes into overdrive. The man himself shrugs and smiles about that situation.

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“It was pretty obvious that would happen but it is difficult when you know there is nothing to it and a lot of people want to make something of it,” Fleetwood says. “That’s just the way things are. I didn’t want to feel like I couldn’t go just because people would say things. I think it came across that I just wanted to go and see friends and that really was the main thing. It was nice to see a lot of people.”

Fleetwood can easily handle the background noise. “I obviously know what I am doing, where I am playing. You can’t do much about what’s said elsewhere. It was the same as going to that event, I knew why I was there. I don’t find it distracting at all.”

So what was Fleetwood’s verdict? He readily admits he struggles to watch golf – “it’s pretty slow, I much prefer playing” – but was there a marked difference to the DP World Tour or PGA Tour he knows so well? “They are obviously doing pretty well for what they are,” he says. “The players seem to enjoy it, seem to enjoy playing on that tour; one of the first things I noticed was that everybody seems happy, chilled, relaxed.

“There are certain things I wasn’t used to; the music, I don’t know how I would feel about playing with that. Beyond that my biggest takeaway was that it was just another golf tournament. Everyone seemed very professional and working very hard. It’s basically just a bunch of people who you knew out here that are now there. So many things have just carried over.”

A Fleetwood success at Augusta National would be among the most popular Masters outcomes. Since 2022, his major performances have started to trend upwards again. The Southport man should take it as a compliment that he is regarded as one of the finest talents of this generation without a major title to his name. Fleetwood’s supreme iron play and shot‑shaping ability should always work well at Augusta.

Thereafter, and following a PGA Tour stop off at Hilton Head, Fleetwood will take on a different golf role. His stepson, Oscar Craig, was victorious at the Ras Al Khaimah Men’s Open in February. Fleetwood and his family are now based in Dubai; the world number 12 has resisted temptation to make the two-hour drive with young Oscar in contention. “We were going to go at the weekend but he was doing well and I didn’t want to turn up and jinx it,” Fleetwood says. “He was there with friends. He called when he finished to say he had won, I was on the range with our other boy, Mo, and he was so chuffed. Everyone was.”

Craig has secured a spot in the Challenge Tour’s UAE Challenge at Saadiyat, where Fleetwood will assume caddying duties. “I am looking forward to it,” Fleetwood says. “I spoke to Oscar about it, I didn’t want to be a distraction to him but he wanted me to do it which is great.”

- Guardian