BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

September 8, 2022

Tommy Fleetwood

Wentworth Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Opening round of 64, how did it feel?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It's nice to be back more than anything. Six weeks off is more like two years I guess. When you stand on the first tee, you don't know what to expect no matter how well you might have been practising or playing. It's just nice coming back. It was a lovely grouping to come back to, best friends on TOUR. It's nice. I played well. It's always better that I played good rather than bad. But yeah, it was just nice to be back.

Q. Tell us about playing conditions out there today.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Wet. There was a period through the middle of the round where it was like put the brolly up for two or three hours, put the brolly down, put the brolly back up. Played long. I mean, I don't remember it playing that long. Sometimes, softer conditions obviously, the course plays wider in a way. The greens are soft so they are receptive. That's an easy part of it.

But at the same time, the rough was heavy and holes were playing long. I think the tee forwards, 4 and 5, those were nice -- there's been a few decent scores. If you are putting the ball in the fairway, preferred lies, greens are rolling amazing. So there was a score if you were hitting it right.

Q. Opening 64 for the early lead. What are conditions like out there?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Wet. Course played pretty long. There was a score out there, just if you could put the ball in play. Obviously with the course playing so wet, the course played wider and the ball is not bouncing and the greens were receptive and greens rolled amazing. A lot of things could add up to a good score but the rough was claggy if you went in it. Although there was pluses and minuses, and it was an awkward day where you're always thinking, putting your umbrella up, taking it off. Overall we did all right weather-wise. It wasn't too bad.

I wouldn't have liked teeing off at 6.45 when I arrived players going down the first had it rough. But overall it was a good day for scoring.

Q. Was there any rust, your first start since The Open Championship?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, six weeks felt like a really long time. It's felt like two years. You never quite know how you're going to come out and play, no matter how well you might have practiced or anything, playing in a tournament is very, very different, and I'm always amazed at Tiger Woods just turning up. When he turns up to the Masters for the first time or however long, cruises around making the cut, I think that's one of the most impressive things.

It was nice be back. I think I had the best -- one of the best groups I could possibly have had, playing with two of my best friends on tour after being away from for a while. I think that was the comfortable part. Luckily I got into the round pretty quick.

Q. Personal best 64, birdied 6 out of the last 7. What happened hat 14?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, terrible shot. I hit the green at least. That was a bit of an awkward hole for me the way my ball flight was today. Yeah, lovely to get on a run like that at the end. Again, until you mentioned it, sometimes you don't quite realize like a run like that that you're on. So from the 12th, just started, had a made a lot of birdies and had a look at eagle on 12.

So it was just nice. I stayed patient through the middle part of the round. Didn't really do anything wrong. Just it was what it is, making a few pars and got something going at the end. And then the last two wedge shots I hit were really nice and hit some nice putts, really.

Q. How nice is it to be back on a golf course again in your comfort zone?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, teeing off was a bit weird, coming off now it's a bit weird, nice seeing my dad today. It's not necessarily about the score. I was happy to be playing. Happy that I was playing with Shane and Justin. Sometimes it's more about the score; it's about the people you spend the journey with. It's weird really but it's nice being back.