It has been a seminal year for Tommy Fleetwood as he looks set to end the campaign as Race to Dubai champion and European No1 at the DP World Tour Championship.
The Englishman took the lead in the European Tour standings after winning in Abu Dhabi in January and has remained in pole position for much of the season, with a second place finish at World Golf Championship and victory at the French Open in July.
With Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia still hot on his tail for the Race to Dubai title, the 26-year-old remains relaxed as he goes into the biggest tournament of his career.
“I don’t want to say like a breakout year, because you don’t know what happens after it, but it’s been the biggest year of my career by a long way,” said Fleetwood.
“I think the goal at the start of the year was to win again. I hadn’t won in three years, whatever it was.
“It’s been like a year of sort of felt like I was reassessing for the first six months because I was on a roll and I just kept having brilliant results.”
The Southport native did have a chance to secure the race last weekend at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa but had to settle for 10th place – with Branden Grace sealing victory on home soil.
Still, Fleetwood will be crowned No1 irrespective of his placing if Rose finishes outside the top five and Garcia fails to win.
“It’s very special to get to The Race to Dubai, you know, the final event, and be playing to win The Race to Dubai. Something I’ve never been done before. I’ve never been close, and it’s something that I didn’t expect to be doing this year,” said Fleetwood.
“I mean, whatever happens, I’ve never done this before, and it will have been a brilliant experience no matter what. I obviously clearly want to win. Don’t know how many chances you’re going to get in your career to do it.
“I think it would have to be that my game can stand up with the best players in the world in the biggest tournaments.”
Fleetwood may only have one top 10 finish in four appearances at Jumeirah Golf Estates – a ninth place finish in 2016 being his best to date – but is relishing the prospect of stepping out for the final 72 holes of a memorable season regardless of whether he lifts the coveted title or not.
“It’s actually an amazing opportunity and it’s a massive privilege to be able to actually be playing,” he said.
“I’m turning up tomorrow, final event of the year and I’m playing with Justin Rose trying to win a Race to Dubai. Sergio could win it, as well. Sergio, Justin Rose and then me; that’s pretty cool, that.”
