Augusta, GA …
Tommy Fleetwood is determined to show Tiger Woods what the young guns are made after being drawn alongside the four-time Masters winner for the first two rounds at Augusta National.
Fleetwood, 27 says is first memory of the Masters was as six-year old, watching Woods romp to his record-breaking victory in 1997.
This will be Woods 21st Masters and a first in three years while Fleetwood is contesting a second after missing the cut a year ago.
But while Woods hasn’t won anywhere since 2013, Southport-born Fleetwood in his 12 months since first at Augusta, has won a French Open title, the 2017 Race to Dubai crown and earlier this year successfully defended his Abu Dhabi HSBC title.
He has the added stability of getting married and becoming a father, Fleetwood reckons he’s got what it takes to tackle Tiger head-on.
But then Fleetwood will not want to remind Woods his first taste of the Masters was as a then six-year old up late to watch TV coverage of Woods’ stunning maiden Masters and first Major triumph.
“The first real Masters I watched was 1997, when Tiger won his first and a few years on and I get to play with him and I don’t think you can get a better draw than Tiger at the Masters, especially with what’s going on in golf at the moment,” said Fleetwood.
“All that said, I’m only bothered about me. Whatever he does is not my problem, I’ve got to get on with my won stuff. But it doesn’t get much better than that. It’s very cool.
“Tiger was in his pomp when I was growing up. There was something about this week where I thought to myself, for some reason, I’m going to get Tiger Woods this week.
“I walked to the putting green at about 11 o’clock today and it was the biggest mass of people you could see imagine around here, just to see Tiger and Phil (Mickelson) walking off the 18th green so you get an idea of how busy it’s going to be.
“As well as concentrating on my stuff I’ll get to watch Tiger up close and see what he does and there’s nothing better than that.
“I feel like my prep has been good and my game has been good in practice. I feel like I’ve done all the right things so far this week.
“So, it would be lovely to have a run of it at the end of the week but I’m not putting too much expectation on myself.”
