Tommy Fleetwood is ready to take his turn for Team GB after a fine start in the men’s golf.
Tommy Fleetwood is ready to take his turn for Team GB after a fine start in the men’s golf.
The Southport golfer is making his second appearance at an Olympic Games and is in an eight-way tie for sixth on four-under.
Fleetwood sits four shots back from leader Hideki Matsuyama, with teammate Matthew Fitzpatrick at two-under after a weather-disrupted first round.
The 33-year-old arrived in the Olympic village a couple of days ago and has been basking in the success other Team GB athletes have had.
“You get so involved in what you are doing and watching everybody and then it is your turn to play,” Fleetwood said. “It is very nice.
"In Tokyo, I loved being in the village and around all of the other athletes. I love feeling their passion for what they are doing.
"There are so many similarities between those who do their sport for a living. It is amazing to be part of, it is very inspiring.
"It is a different crowd for us. We play every week in front of golf fans whereas this is a real-life Olympic crowd. They might not have watched the sport before, and there were a lot of Team GB fans out there.
We're underway in the golf at Le Golf National ⛳
— Team GB (@TeamGB) August 1, 2024
Tommy Fleetwood is four under par, four shots off the leader Hideki Matsuyama, while Matt Fitzpatrick is two over.
Three rounds to play.#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/5mRFNrEQYr
"That was really nice and the fans from France were also cool. Being part of Ryder Cup teams have helped me, there were a lot of people on my side. We were all surprised by how many people were there on the first couple of holes.
"The Olympics is really cool."
The golf is being hosted at Le Golf National, the scene of the 2018 Ryder Cup.
That was also Fleetwood’s debut in the bi-yearly competition between Team USA vs Europe where he was Europe’s second-best player in the home side’s win.
Fleetwood went bogey-free in his round of 67, with birdie on the third, eighth, 11th and 14th as he looks to follow Justin Rose in winning an Olympic medal in golf.
He added: "It was quite good really. I have not really been playing that great in practice and the summer so far has not gone as well as I would have wanted it to.
“I have been working hard on trying to get my golf swing to a place I am really happy with.
"I tried to get off to a solid start and I had a plan. I did a lot of very good things, I was in play off the tee for much of the day and when I wasn't, I got away with it."
Sportsbeat 2024