Tommy Fleetwood is not in Abu Dhabi for the jolly up this week and admits that becoming a winning captain of the Great Britain and Ireland team at the Hero Cup would rank highly in his career.
The Englishman will assume the role of playing captain as he leads a ten-strong GB&I side which includes Seamus Power and Shane Lowry against Francesco Molinari’s Continental Europe at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
Previously known as the Seve Trophy, the team event has become known for blooding potential Ryder Cup stars in a similar environment. The three-day showpiece has received criticism and for many it will be their first outing of 2023, but Fleetwood insists the competition will be fierce despite the relaxed and jovial atmosphere between the players.
“If we’re not going to be competitive, what’s the point?” he said. “I would love to be a winning captain and there’s no better feeling than winning with your team-mates. I’m sure both sides are going to be really up for it. As soon as you get out there those competitive juices start flowing and everybody will give it 100 per cent for their team-mates.
“We all play within the spirit of the game and we all play against each other week in, week out, this is just slightly different that we’ve got a bunch of us playing against another bunch.
“Every week we play and compete we’re playing against the same people. We all have a shared love for the game, a shared passion for chasing our dreams and you can only respect and appreciate that.
“You just go out there and be yourself and try and win, that’s all you’ve got to do, and at the end of it we’ll shake hands and have a good time after.
Leave a comment