RBC HERITAGE

April 16, 2022

Tommy Fleetwood

Harbour Town Golf Links

Quick Quotes

Q. Tommy, how would you characterize the round out there today?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Obviously really good. I shot 7-under. I was just saying I never felt like I was playing particularly great. I never felt comfortable in my swing. Like I haven't played well this week.

But today was the day where I had nothing destructive in there. If I missed a shot, it was like a skanky one that would be in place somewhere and then I had a chance to go from there. I putted really, really well.

It was just that I literally made zero mistakes, and then a few good shots where then I capitalized on it. It feels like I should be able to do that all the time. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

Just like happy to give myself a chance to play the weekend and then go out and put a round together like that. I was really happy with it.

Q. Can you give an example of how much difference it was today with very little wind as opposed to yesterday? Maybe a shot here or there.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It's hard really. I think -- it's obviously massively easier. I think more -- one of the difficult things about the wind blowing here is that, once you get into the trees, you can't feel it all the time. Sometimes your shot has got half protected by trees, half out in the open. Ball flight's changing all the time. So actually distance control is such a difficult thing when the wind is blowing the way it was yesterday.

One of the biggest differences was how receptive the course was today. So firm yesterday. I teed off at 7:20 yesterday morning, and it was still really firm in the morning. So I think that was one of the biggest differences.

It's such a difference when you're just looking at pins that are four or five from the left, and when there's no wind around, you dictate what you're doing with the golf ball and what shot you're hitting and the way that you want it to come into the hole. When the wind's blowing, you're obviously fighting against the wind, and you're hitting a shot that works against the wind.

So there's a few differences. The scoring will be a mile different today.

Q. Can you pinpoint one or two shots that you were really happy with, really good ones from today?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, the 6-iron on 4 was a great shot. I was really happy with that one. Then I think I hit a couple of really good short shots really, like the lofted shot on 8 I hit from right of the green. People think nothing of them when you made seven birdies, but I can easily make bogey there by not doing anything different and I'm still able to pull it a little bit. So that was a big one.

Probably -- I know I holed a long one on 14, but then 15 I hit a bad tee shot, got away with it, pitched it out and made a 4 on 15, which was like gaining a shot. Things that happen on a day you shoot 7-under are going to happen, but they make a big difference.

Q. Having the chance to go out and compete for a win tomorrow, is that exciting?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: We'll see where I stand. I might be way back by the time I tee off tomorrow. The biggest thing for me is sort of the consistency that I'm putting together. I think a week like this week so far -- there's still a day to go, but I haven't played well this week.

And when you've not been playing well for a long time, when you're not competing at the top end for a long time, results come very, very difficult. I felt like at times this year I've played really, really well. The hardest thing is to get a result. I've played consistently, but then finishing first, second, third, fourth just feels really, really difficult.

This week I feel that I haven't played well, and I happen to be up in contention. I think, when your game starts to come back and when you start to play at the level that you want to play at, you get weeks like this where you feel like I haven't played well this week but you're still up there at the end.

I think that's another sign for me is I have to look at my game's coming back, the consistency, what I'm doing is coming back, and I'm starting to build some results.

They've not been top fives after all, but it's still like a very sort of consistent base that I think, if I keep doing the things that I'm doing, then I can progress and start building better results.

Q. What has kept you from pulling that long hair out over this long period of time?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I pull it out all the time. It just grows. It just grows quick.

Well, no, like everybody else in the sport, in any sport, you're trying so hard and you have such high expectations of yourself and you're not getting those results, it's difficult, and it's frustrating. It's just what it is. You have to get up every week and keep working hard and keep practicing.

I said it a few times over the last year, standard's getting higher and higher. So if you're not playing well, you're slipping. You know, the gap gets bigger effectively. So you just have to keep up and play your game and trying to find what's right for you and keep doing it.

Definitely this year I feel like I'm on a much better track. I don't feel like I'm trying to find it every week, like I got caught up in -- I was never playing that well, and then I always was trying to find the secret. I was never ready to play. I was always working on something on the range, thinking I need to hit it better, I need to hit it better. By the time it came to play, I was never ready.

This year I feel I've got a much better mix of practice getting better, being ready to play, and actually I'm performing better at a more consistent level, and we'll see where it goes. When you're doing that, it's much easier to be accepting of yourself. You're like I'm doing the right things. I feel like I'm getting better. Maybe this week's not my week, but maybe next week could be.

When you're week in and week out trying to find it, every day makes a difference here.

Q. Did you have as much fun in the Par 3 contest as your little one did.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I loved it. I'm not even sure he remembers it. It was a week ago. He's not bothered. It was a week ago.

Yeah, he was so excited. Something that's really unique and special to the Masters is they have something like that. Whether you play good or bad, it gives you and your family memories for life really. Frankie completely stole the show. He left me for dead, which was fun.

It was an amazing time for us. Before you know it, they grow up quick, don't they? So I'll enjoy it while I can.