ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

November 6, 2024

Tommy Fleetwood

Yas Links

Quick Quotes

Q. Blazing hot sunshine, how are you feeling after a little break?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Good. It's been a lovely time at home. I have enjoyed practise and everything, and just getting -- it's funny, really. I think four weeks in golfers' terms without a tournament feels like a year, you know.

But it's nice to be back and getting into the rhythm of preparing for a tournament, and beautiful place, great weather, so looking forward to it.

Q. You're a two-time winner of this tournament, but not on this golf course. How does this stack up to Abu Dhabi Golf Club?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Just a very different test. I think the normal wind goes against, like a lot of the flow of the holes a lot.

So I think when the wind picks up and you have the crosswinds, I think it makes it a difficult driving golf course. It's not narrow at all but when the course plays that firm and with the crosswinds coming up, it's a tough driving golf course. It's one of those, I feel like, yeah, there's definitely opportunities. Of course there is.

But I still think it provides a really strong test as well. Not had that much success the last two years. Looking forward to the challenge again. Played it a couple times and feel well prepared. Looking forward to getting out there.

Q. Looked like Ken Brown and David Howell were giving you a putting lesson out there.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I always talk to the guys, especially Ken. We have had some great conversations about putting over the years, and I just always like seeing the guys and talking about the game. It's just nice being around people that are so passionate about the game still.

And yeah, we were talking about putting and my putting, and a couple of things, and then Howler, two great putters, two of the best putters that I've ever met. So you're all picking things up and always learning.

It's just great. I love that those guys sort of want the best for me, and are always there to help and have conversations. I love that about golf.

Q. And it looks different.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It is a new putter. It is a new TaylorMade putter that I've been working with at home. And yeah, like the guys at TaylorMade, they have done an amazing job like we spoke about, designing something like a little bit different.

It's felt really, really good. It was the perfect time for me to be practising with something. It's sort of difficult these days. I love testing like my equipment and testing things that are new and different, but it's so difficult with the way the schedule is. The tournaments are packed in so close to each other, and there's never not a big event or not an important event it seems.

To have that time at home to work on something that I've put a lot of effort into and something I'm really interested in; and like I said, TaylorMade have done an amazing job with it, and it's felt good. Looking forward to going out there tomorrow and getting it in competition because that's the only thing I haven't done yet, so that's exciting.