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DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, DUBAI

November 18, 2017

Tommy Fleetwood

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Q. Back-to-back 65s. What kick started you into producing a sensational round of golf out there today?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I made a mess of the two par 5s again. Should have got up-and-down; didn't. Hit a wayward tee shot and made a good bogey at the end on 5. When you know the scoring is quite low, it's not nice to have nothing going at all.

Then yeah, it just kick-started. I hit a great shot in and started holing a few putts. I just played really well. It just shows, that's what can kind of happen on the golf course. Don't know how many examples you need to tell yourself to keep going.

Just got on a really good streak, really, from then on in. When I holed the putts on 9 and 10, felt momentum swinging a little bit. And yeah, hit it good. Hit it really good down the stretch.

Q. What confidence now do you take from these two 65s into a huge Sunday for you?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, big time, don't seem to matter what I'm doing at the moment. When you look at the leaderboard, we know who's there.

Yeah, I played very well Thursday. Wasn't good at all, and just got to dust yourself off and get back on it. You know, even days like today, I had seven holes where I was 1-over, and yesterday I think I had a patch in the middle of the round from 7 through 11, so that was five holes where I was 1-over.

So you've got to stay patient when it's not coming and then ride the roller coaster when it's going your way I suppose. Yeah, amazing to be, from where we were Thursday night, to stand here and be actually in the tournament, it's been great.

Q. We know what winning The Race to Dubai what would mean, and now that it's even closer, how much do those feelings intensify for you?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, of course they do. You're all right when you are playing. When you are playing, you get on with it and you do your thing. This week I've got my family here; so where I could be thinking about it loads, I won't be.

It's massive. It really is. But above all, whether I win it or not, or whether Justin wins it, one of us will have deserved it. It's been an absolute pleasure trying to win a Race to Dubai, coming down these last few events, and especially this week now. The week could have gone not quite as how you wanted it, not being in contention or anything.

So last day of the season and I've got a chance to win The Race to Dubai, it's cool.

Q. You said you pulled that shot -- but you were just taking dead-aim, surely.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: There was a little V that was my start line and a hard draw -- hard draw on pin. It was perfect. It took a soft bounce, didn't it. Pitched a foot further, I'm telling you, that was stone dead. I got unlucky.

Q. How were you able to bounce back so beautifully in these last two rounds after a difficult opening round?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Because that's what you've got to do. No point moping. Yeah, there's no doubt about it. It wasn't the start that we wanted. Didn't play well enough on Thursday, and the last two days, really got it going.

Yesterday was a lot more sort of steady progression. Today I got off to that slow start and then all of a sudden caught fire a little bit.

Thursday night, you might not be happy when you come off the course but by the time you get to the course Friday morning, you're ready to go again. The last two days have been great. Played some great golf.

Q. How much momentum do you feel like you have going into the final round?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I wish it could carry on today, that's for sure. It's been great. It's been really enjoyable getting those low rounds going, seeing a few putts go in, hitting some great shots. It's an enjoyable golf course that way, because if you're playing well, days like today, scoring is so good; there's a lot of guys shooting under par.

So it's great to watch and it's great to play in the middle of it all, especially when you have a bit of momentum. It's just very, very enjoyable and hopefully we can keep it going.

Q. One day to go. How do you tonight, maybe tomorrow morning, balance, manage, the emotions of the opportunity in front of you to win The Race to Dubai, maybe this tournament; not go there, stay in the moment and play in the final round?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Well, yeah. I've got my seven-week old baby that will be keeping me busy. That will do a good job of taking my mind off it.

It's a massive thing. It's the biggest thing I've ever tried to achieve. I was in contention in the U.S. Open and MÃ©xico but they were like one or two rounds. This has been all year and you come down to the final event.

I mean, year and a half ago, I was absolutely nowhere in the game and I was a bit lost. Fast forward to where for me, it's been amazing to play and to enjoy my golf this year; and then to get to this stage. It's been an absolute pleasure and privilege trying to compete for a Race to Dubai.

Q. Pleased with that?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I wanted to keep going. Let's bring the tee times forward for tomorrow.

Yeah, just one of them strange days where nothing was going at all. A couple sloppy pars on the par 5s, and a bad tee shot on 5 and I was 1-over through seven on a day where scoring has been really good.

Yeah, I think 8, hit a great shot in. 9 and 10, felt like we had something going. It was great playing with Dean. Dean had it going, as well, so that obviously pulls you along and we were enjoying it. Yeah, it was a really good last 11 holes.

Q. Blistering finish, as well, five birdies in the last six holes. Is it one of those weeks where given everything that's at stake, you just have to keep going; does it feel different than, say, another tournament, where you might have started with a 73 and not been able to keep the momentum?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, if you're not going to keep going in this situation, you know, you're never going to do it, are you, if you don't have the actual mental capacity to tell yourself to keep going when you're trying to win The Race to Dubai.

But yeah, I like to think that I have a good attitude and a good character. You know, it can make you frustrated when things aren't going your way and you know you're trying to get it going, and it's an important week, etc., etc.

To bounce back Thursday was great. Then to shoot yesterday's score was great, and then the last 11 holes today was brilliant.

Q. Not to take away from second successive 65s, but given how low the scoring is today, given the magnitude of the event, is the course set up a little too easy, do you think?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Well, it's strange, actually, because you've still got to do it. Like it's not -- it's not like there's -- when you play, there's actually not many gimmie holes where you think, I'm down to make birdie here, and if I don't make birdie I've given that shot away.

Just good golf I think. It really is. It's quite bunched, so there's been a lot of decent scores. But it's not that easy. It just seems the golf's been amazing, really. And I think the greens today were really good. A lot of putts were going, and the wind wasn't really that strong today.

And the pins felt less accessible than yesterday. Yesterday felt like an easier sort of course set up to shoot, apart, from, say, holes like 15 where the tee was moved way forward. Yesterday felt like the easier day to shoot a low score.

I got a quick peek at some of the scores on the leaderboard, and yeah, it's been good to watch.

Q. As a final thought, tomorrow, final day of the season. The biggest day of your career to date, potentially?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Over my career, yeah. Nothing closest to the biggest day of my life but in my career, it is. Enjoy these moments. This is what you practice for and this is what you play for. It's brilliant, isn't it. Makes me smile.

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