SAN ANTONIO — Next week Tommy Fleetwood will likely be squarely on the shortlist of Masters contenders.
But this week in San Antonio there isn’t a debate: he’s the favourite to win.
It could appear a bit disorienting to the widespread Englishman, 35, however he’s the fourth-ranked participant in the world and considered one of simply two top-10 gamers at this week’s Valero Texas Open, which begins Thursday on the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio. He’s prepared to embrace the function of tourney favourite and appreciates the climb to get right here.
“I’ve played plenty of tournaments where I’ve been really, really struggling with my game or down in the rankings or fighting for something. So when you’re at the higher end, you have to make sure you enjoy it,” he mentioned Tuesday at his pre-event press convention. “You don’t know how long that’s going to last. Hopefully it lasts a long time and I can keep improving. That’s a really nice feeling and I think a nice reflection of the work that we’ve done, the consistency of golf that I played for a while now.
“All of those things as well, I’m very, very aware it has no impact on as soon as I pick up a golf club on Thursday morning, like the clubs and the ball are no different so it has no impact on how you’re going to play.”
This is a crucial week for Fleetwood’s Masters prep. Last 12 months he barely made the Valero minimize and scuttled by means of the weekend; he then tied for twenty first at the Masters.
But two years in the past his Masters tune-up was a distinct story: he completed seventh at the Valero and one week later tied for third at the Masters, a profession greatest. That first journey to San Antonio was form of a cheerful accident, but it surely cemented the Valero as a staple in his enjoying schedule.
“It’s funny, I played by chance in 2024. I was struggling in Florida, took the next week off and threw this one into the schedule,” he mentioned. “I had a great week. I then had a great Masters right after it. It’s been part of our year ever since.”
It’s simple to overlook, however Fleetwood continues to be fairly new to life as a PGA Tour winner.
He gained his first PGA Tour occasion final August at the Tour Championship to finish an extended and at times painful drought—he had 43 PGA Tour high 10s earlier than that win. The timing was fortuitous, because it got here with the title of FedEx Cup champion and a $10 million money bonus.
Fleetwood has stayed sizzling ever since. He was essentially the man of the match in Europe’s Ryder Cup win in September at Bethpage Black, and he gained the DP World India Championship in October. This 12 months he’s rung up three top-10 finishes in 4 occasions, together with T4 at Pebble Beach and T8 at the Players, which led to his present rise in the rankings.
In addition to his event-favorite standing, he’s additionally having fun with his time in the Lone Star State. He mentioned he’s shopped for Texas-themed Driftwood threads for himself and his household whereas including, “No cowboy hat or cowboy boots coming onto the golf course just yet.” He additionally took in a San Antoio Spurs sport, and sat in awe of the scene, and of Victor Wembanyama.
“The arena, that’s huge, that place,” he mentioned. “[Wembanyama] has all the makings of being an all-time great so to get to watch him earlier in his career, that was pretty cool.”
Fleetwood has additionally drawn some buzz this year for his personal apparel. He not too long ago added Blackstone as his hat sponsor, however since his cope with Nike expired final 12 months, he’s been an attire free agent, and has sported quite a lot of manufacturers and logos at Tour occasions.
“I spent 20 years with one company who were amazing to me and had a great time, but there’s so many different items out there in the golf world and in the fashion world. So I think I am both like part golf fan, like I still love a great golf logo and I still look to wear those, but also being able to wear stuff that obviously I’ve kind of chosen or sought out and that I feel comfortable in and that suits me, having that as well has been great,” he mentioned. “That’s going to continue.”
Add it up, and Fleetwood appears comfy as the event favourite, and in his freelanced golf threads. It seems like Augusta can’t get right here quickly sufficient.
