Tommy Fleetwood defends ‘gameplay’ criticism (very honestly)

Tommy Fleetwood has heard all about the criticism of the games he received on Sunday. Although he would also like to explain: the boy alone really had to use the bathroom.

Fleetwood shot a six-under 66 in the final round of the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday, which was good enough to catch 54-hole leader Aaron Rai and force a playoff. Rai was looking for his first DP World Tour win in five years; Fleetwood was looking for second in as many starts.

But with the cards signed and the playoff set to begin on the par-5 18th hole, Rai stepped up to the tee first and had to wait for Fleetwood to arrive.

Sky Sports commentator Andrew Coltart took issue with this.

“That’s what I don’t like,” Coltart said on the Sky Sports broadcast. “To me, they both have to get to the tee at the same time. I don’t like that. It gives an advantage to the person who comes last to the tee.”

Colleague Wayne Riley added that it may have been “a bit of gamesmanship”.

It turned out that it was not so complicated.

Preparing for this week’s DP World Championship in Dubai, Fleetwood was asked if he had heard those comments. He had, he said, and called it “disappointing.” He then explained.

“I’m just saying from my perspective, having just played with Aaron for 36 holes, we’re extremely close and extremely supportive of each other in our careers,” Fleetwood said Tuesday. “I was desperate for the bathroom and then as soon as I was done, I ran to him and it happened. So, yeah, you know, I would hope that everybody knew that I wouldn’t do something like that, and I think the world of Aaron. (Viador, tour director), ‘Can I please go to the bathroom?’ He said yes. I ran to the toilet; ran to you.”

Rai birdied the first playoff hole to win. Fleetwood and Rai are paired together again on Thursday for the opening round of the season-ending DP World Tour. And despite Fleetwood’s finish, he will cap off one of the best seasons of his career.

In addition to earning Championship tournament in August to earn his first career PGA Tour win, he also won DP World Championship India last month and even led the European Ryder Cup team in one victory on the road in New York in September.

“I still feel fresh, I still feel motivated and really ready to give it my all in the last week of the season,” Fleetwood said. “So it’s been a great season, but yeah, we’ve got another week to go and we’re going to keep taking it one day at a time.”