The status of those who could not keep pace with Tommy Fleetwood on Sunday in Abu Dhabi offers all the context needed. The biggest win of this 26-year-old's career removes the necessity for questions of a "whatever happened to" nature.
Three major champions – Martin Kaymer, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson – were among those in pursuit at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship but Fleetwood was not to be denied. His closing round of 67 was the finest of the day and necessary – an eagle from Johnson at the last, coupled with Pablo Larrazábal's 68, meant the margin of victory was just a shot. Fleetwood nervelessly holed out from four feet for a 72nd-hole birdie which ensured a 17-under-par aggregate.
“I knew Henrik had started pretty well, Martin started great and Dustin was right there at the end like he was always going to be,” Fleetwood said. “At the end of the day, they are world beaters. They have won majors and they have won the biggest tournaments in golf, so they know how to get it done and they know what they are doing when they get up there.
“So I’m happy that I sort of proved myself in such a strong field. I think the winning scores are always pretty much the same but it’s a very big deal to sort of prove yourself against some of the world’s best. I’m very, very proud. I did really just concentrate on my own game, kept going. Thirty one on the back nine on a Sunday is great, no matter who you are, and I think that’s probably what I’m most proud of over the week.”
Career in reverse
Fleetwood had waited a long time for this. When his only other European Tour success arrived, at the end of 2013, it seemed inevitable the British golfer would make an impact on the biggest stages. Instead Fleetwood’s career went into reverse until the latter half of 2016, when signs of improving fortunes were apparent.
“I had a really rough time from sort of July 2015 to July 2016, I was really struggling with my game,” Fleetwood said. “I tried changing my swing because I thought it would make me better. I thought it would make me a world-class golfer. I was a bit naive and I was a bit silly and just got going the wrong way. I couldn’t do the things that I was trying to do.
“From there, the strengths of my game like my driving went completely; I was really struggling off the tee. I couldn’t get it off the tee and I just had way too many bad shots. It was killing my golf game off, really. When your strengths have gone, that’s when it becomes hardest.”
Reverting back to his childhood coach has revived Fleetwood’s fortunes. He will now be ranked just outside the world’s top 50, making Masters participation a realistic target. In Abu Dhabi, Fleetwood found 66 greens out of 72 in regulation to show he has been proven correct in retaining Nike clubs despite the company choosing to halt their manufacture. “I’ve used Nike clubs since I was 13,” Fleetwood added. “At the moment, it’s the best equipment for me. When Nike were making clubs, it was the best for me then. I’m not going to change just for the sake of it now that we have a chance.”
A congested leaderboard meant Fleetwood’s triumph was not widely predicted. Larrazábal, who had won the tournament before, chipped in three times in suggesting fate may be on his side. But for a bogey at the 15th, Johnson would have tied Fleetwood’s score.
“I needed to make that birdie putt on 17,” Johnson said. “I knew I needed to finish 3-3-3 to have a chance but obviously Tommy ended up birdieing the last hole and that took it out of reach. I’m happy with the week, happy with the way I played.”
Kaymer held the outright lead after making three front-half birdies in a row for the second day in succession but encountered back-nine trouble. “I made a couple of mistakes,” Kaymer admitted. “The bogeys I made were really from nowhere. I was just trying to give myself chances, hoping for a couple of putts to drop in. That didn’t quite happen.”
Stenson’s 69 meant a share of eighth alongside Lee Westwood and Peter Hanson. The Open champion will now enjoy a break before reappearing at the Dubai Desert Classic. “I’m going to be pretty flat on a sunbed for a few days, it’s a 10-year anniversary trip with the wife,” Stenson said. “I’m quite pleased with most parts of my game, and I’ve got a long year ahead.”
Kaymer had Bernd Wiesberger and Kiradech Aphibarnrat – who produced six single putts in as many holes at one stage – for company at 15 under in fourth.
– Guardian service
