DUBAI INVITATIONAL

January 11, 2024

Tommy Fleetwood

Dubai Creek Resort

Quick Quotes

Q. Tommy, a cheeky little birdie on the last hole, 5-under. Overall, what was the strength of your game?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I played pretty solid for the most part. I drove it well. I feel like just with how firm the greens are, they took me by surprise to be honest in the practice round. They got really firm and fast.

I think it's kind of important to put yourself in places so you can get as much control with your iron shots as possible. I had a few chances. I felt like I hit 30, 40 feet a lot and then was 2-putting all the time but birdied every par 5 always makes a big difference.

I had a really good finish like 16, 17, 18. Every hole is kind of a chance but those are holes I'd be happy with pars moving on and got two birdies out of those. So it was a good finish.

Q. As a professional golfer, you're used to traveling, but coming from Hawaii, big time difference. Does that test the concentration?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yesterday I was pretty tired. You know, first day here and just like -- it's good though when you're playing because it gives you a reason to get up and out, get yourself outside and practise.

So that gets you on track a bit. I was happy with the way I played after long travel but happy to be out here. I felt pretty good about getting ready for the tournament yesterday.

I hit good shots early on. So I felt like I got into the practise round pretty good. I didn't really have to worry about getting into a rhythm or anything, so that was a really good thing. You know, golf moves fast, and on to another week. Yeah, happy with the good start.

Q. Obviously a slightly different format. There's no cut this week. Does that affect the strategy?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I don't know. I feel like you have to be patient around this golf course, and I think it's easy to think that you can -- it's not necessarily that long. It doesn't play that long but it's one of those that I just think you can get impatient on or you can feel like you should be doing better than you are.

I think the scoring was pretty good today but even then, I think, what, 3-under was probably in the top 10 or something like that. I know Rory shot 9-under. Whatever, Rory.

But I just think it's a course that you can't force it too much just with the way it's playing. Play well, play sensibly and see where you are at the end of the week. I enjoyed it today. It will be good to see how the course plays throughout the rest of the week, if it firms up and the wind picks up and see how it plays. But round like today are never going to do you any harm.