It is perhaps an example of how time is fleeting when you consider that Tommy Fleetwood is now in his 15th year as a golf pro. For many golf fans, it will feel like the young kid came onto the scene just yesterday with his flowing locks and good humor. Fleetwood has not always set the world alight with his golf, but he is a grinder and capable of magical moments. He is also highly consistent, which is one of the main reasons he is constantly in and around the world’s top ten in the OWGR rankings.
Fleetwood heads to Augusta at the weekend, not among the favorites in the Masters betting markets. That’s understandable for a player who has not yet won on the PGA Tour but has plenty of good performances to point to over the years. Indeed, he will look back fondly at his performance at the 2024 Masters, where he finished 3rd. It will be difficult for Fleetwood to improve on that, especially in light of the form of tournament favorites like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, yet it’s certainly not impossible.
Fleetwood has done well in the Majors
Arguably, Fleetwood’s performances in Majors have gone under the radar over recent years. The Southport-born 34-year-old has finished in the top 10 five times in the last 11 Majors, including four top 5 finishes. It’s an excellent record, and one most golf pros would love to have. He’s also brought remarkable consistency on the tours, having only missed the cut in one tournament in the last 12 months.
The question, perhaps, is what type of player is Fleetwood? He rarely struggles across his four rounds in his tournaments, yet cutting consistently appears to be the best way to keep him in the top 15 or 20 with high frequency. Thus, some wonder whether that is his limit, having a tidy, consistent game that does not have the x-factor required to challenge at the highest level. Or is he just waiting for the right opportunity?
A chance may present itself at Augusta.
We are probably in the latter camp. Sports media coverage tends to focus more on clutch moments than golfers themselves. The concepts of form and opportunity matter most to them going into a tournament of any description. We say this because it has been espoused by Rory McIlroy, who (after losing the US Open to Bryson DeChambeau last year) talked about how he gets perspective from thinking about form and opportunity. In short, if you are playing well, opportunities will come; you may take them or not.
The point, as such, is that McIlroy is not thinking about titanic battles going down the back nine. He’s just thinking about his game. Other golfers, Fleetwood included, are the same. We don’t believe that Fleetwood has the same talent level as McIlroy, but when he plays well enough, his form gives him the kind of opportunities he discussed. We saw that at the Masters last year and at The Open in 2019 and 2022. A bit of luck here and there, and Fleetwood could have been a Major winner.
Of course, all of this is hypothetical. Perhaps Fleetwood fails to shine at Augusta over the weekend, but perhaps not. He’s an unflappable character, and it will be interesting to see what he will do should the opportunity present itself in the year’s first Major.
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