Tread into the unknown for Fleetwood

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Tread into the unknown for Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood addresses the press at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai on Tuesday.

Dubai - The 27-year-old is second in the Race to Dubai standings

By James Jose

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Published: Tue 13 Nov 2018, 9:31 PM

Last updated: Tue 13 Nov 2018, 11:34 PM

It will be a bit of a tread into the unknown when Tommy Fleetwood tees off at the Earth Course of the Jumeirah Golf Estates on Thursday with the Englishman's destiny not in his own hands.
The 27-year-old is second in the Race to Dubai standings following a season of consistent golf but if he harbours any hopes of defending the title, Fleetwood must win the DP World Tour Championship, the season-ender, which celebrates its 10th year.
But then, it is not that easy as it seems. His good friend Francesco Molinari, who has had an outstanding season, leads the Race to Dubai with 4,709,921 points, 1,025,166 points more than Fleetwood and even if the latter win the tournament, he might still not be able to keep hold of the Harry Vardon Trophy.
It goes without saying that Fleetwood must win the tournament but also hope that Italian Molinari finishes out of the top five. A finish inside the top five will see Molinari lay his hands on a first Race to Dubai crown. The shoe is on the other foot, so to speak, for Fleetwood as a slip up from countryman Justin Rose, saw the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner land the spoils, last season.
It is a completely different scenario he finds himself in and Fleetwood said he would have to approach it as just another tournament and try and go out and win it.
"The biggest difference is it's not in my hands," Fleetwood said on Tuesday.
"You've come this far and to have a chance, as little as it is, and it's not a big chance and it's not in my hands at all, but you know it's there and you're teeing off on Thursday with a chance at winning the biggest prize of the year," he added.
Both are good mates but Fleetwood said he wouldn't be any less happier if Molinari goes on and wins it on Sunday.
"We've literally never mentioned it until last week and then made a couple of jokes about it. It's funny, like he'll say, like it's in my hands, and I'll say it's in his. That's just how it will be," said Fleetwood.
"It's a very good thing that we'll be teeing off on Thursday together and sort of see that we have a chance. You know you're going out there with sort of the person that you're closest with on Tour, trying to win the biggest prize that we play for. So it's a nice thing, that, and like I say, if it doesn't work out for me, I couldn't be happier for him for what he's achieved this year," said Fleetwood.
But he did add that he would give it his all going into the weekend. "I can't really lose anything. I either win or I don't, and that's pretty black and white this week. The math is pretty clear. It's in Frank's hands, but I'll be playing," he added.
james@khaleejtimes.com
 


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