Former Race to Dubai champion Tommy Fleetwood is set to end a four-month hiatus from tournament golf as he gets set for the PGA Tour’s 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota today (Thursday).
The Englishman, who is currently 12th in the Official World Golf Ranking, last appeared at TPC Sawgrass for the Players Championship before the golfing world came to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hole-In-One Alert 🚨
Tommy Fleetwood cards a 1 on the famous 17th hole before the Players Championship has even started! 👏
— PointsBet Sportsbook (@PointsBetUSA) March 12, 2020
Fleetwood flew back to England shortly after the Players Championship was cancelled after one round and has enjoyed his extended stay at home in Southport. He and wife Clare played with their son, Frankie, played some golf, and watched TV – including the first six weeks of the PGA Tour’s return.
“It’s been beautiful family time,” said Fleetwood.
“It would have been nice if the time we had would have come under different circumstances in the world at the moment, but for us, the time we had together has been something that probably we’ll never get again.”
“… Eventually it was always going to be my turn to come (back) out,” he added.
Two weeks ago he flew to New York to spend his 14-day quarantine in the Hamptons, revisiting Shinnecock Hills – where he shot a final-round 63 to finish second at the 2018 U.S. Open. The 29 year old is now set for a nine-week run of competition in the states that will not include his family, who remain back in England.
“I’m really happy to be here and playing golf again,” said Fleetwood at TPC Twin Cities, the venue for the 3M Open. “It’s nice to see so many familiar faces. That’s kind of one of the great things about the Tour is that no matter how long you’ve kind of been away, you just kind of pick up where you left off and everybody just kind of says ‘Hey’ like they saw you yesterday. … It’s nice getting out and seeing a TOUR setup again and preparing for that. I’m going to work hard and play hard and see how well we can do.”
