Tommy Fleetwood will be relying on the knowledge of a local caddie this week with his regular right hand man Ian Finnis unable to travel due to an illness which has plagued him all year.
Fleetwood and Finnish have done every major championship together since the US Open in 2018 but the Englishman will be employing the services of Augusta caddie, Gary Moore.
“Yeah, he’s (Ian) not been well all year. At the moment he’s at home trying to recover and get the right treatment,” said Fleetwood ahead of the weather delayed opening round of the 88th Masters.
“Hopefully he’ll be back out sooner rather than later. Yeah, it’s definitely different being without him. Like we’ve been together every tournament for the last eight years pretty much.
“So, yeah, we just wish him all the best. The sooner he can get better, the better for all of us. Everybody has been asking about him, which has been great. I know he’ll be desperate to come back out here as soon as possible.
“This week, my caddie is called Gray Moore, so he’s an Augusta caddie. The first two or three years that I came here I always had Gray in practice and would always sit and speak to him. So I’ve known him well for the last few years and I just asked if he could do it this week.”
Fleetwood and Finnis have become one of golf’s most recognisable duos in recent years and the Southport man admits not having his friend by his side will leave a void this week – even if it is just to check the weather forecast.
“He’s a pretty big presence, it’s definitely very, very different. Last week was weird just going out there and doing I guess so many things that he would do around. There is definitely a comfort, huge comfort level when he’s out on the course with me.
“Yeah, it’s just a bit weird really. But I’m far more bothered about him getting better and his health being right. He’s definitely in the right place at the moment. Yeah, I look forward to when he does get back out.”
Fleetwood missed the cut on debut at Augusta National but since then he has made six from six but a highest finish of just T14 shows he is perhaps underachieving at the Masters despite his comfort at the event.
“Yeah, it’s definitely a second-shot golf course. I think you have to read the lies in the fairway very well. I think some are bigger than others but some are very subtle.
“I think you have to know where you can go and where not to go. And then the greens, the greens are always a huge part of Augusta.
“So, yeah, I know it well, but there are people that take to the course very quickly and there are people that it takes longer. Some people that never seem to get going round here.
“So it definitely always has a mixture. I always love coming here and playing here. I think it’s a fantastic test.
“Yeah, I always feel like it should suit my game. I think in general it’s never allowed me to feel that comfortable out on the golf course in terms of the shots that I have in there.
“But, no, I feel like I’m getting a pretty good grasp. I played consistently around here just without any fireworks really. I’ve never had an amazing finish.”
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