Tommy Fleetwood knows fan-favorite status goes away at Ryder Cup

The shouts of “Tommy” strengthened with every step, one giving birth to dozens more, increasing in volume to increase the chances of grabbing his attention.

Some made sure to enthusiastically offer their congratulations, celebrating Tommy Fleetwood’s recent and long-awaited first PGA Tour win like the birth of a child.

Row after row of Americans, young and old, stood behind the ropes, clad in stars and stripes, red, white and blue, cheering the Englishman, as if he were raised off Round Swamp Road.

“Why do people like me so much?” said Fleetwood, repeating the question he was asked after winning the Tour Championship last month. “I’ve always been very lucky that I make a great connection with people. If I could give my kids one piece of advice, there’s tons of advice, but I always tell them to be a good person first, and I’ve always tried to do that. My dad always told me that, even when I was a young, aspiring amateur golfer, professional golfer, he always said person first, golfer second. You’re a good person first. I’ve always tried to be that.”

He sounds like the narrator of a fairy tale, his voice imbued with warmth. Drop the accent and he’d appear at home wherever he stands, filled with humor, charm and grace. “Fairway Jesus” is a product of municipal golf, the affable stranger you’d be happy to have join you at Bethpage Black, Green or Blue.

For so many years, Fleetwood was also one of golf’s most sympathetic figures. He was a runner-up in six PGA Tour events and a 30-time top five finisher, who won seven DP World Tour titles, but was defined by his 163 swings and misses in the States.

At June’s Travelers Championship, Fleetwood finished second — behind U.S. captain Keegan Bradley — after bogeying the final hole.

In early August, the 34-year-old blew a two-shot lead with three holes to play. Two weeks later, Fleetwood triumphed at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club, where he earned the FedEx Cup and collected $10 million.

The endless requests for autographs and photographs at Bethpage Black showed nothing else has changed.

“Everybody was amazing,” Fleetwood said Wednesday. “To engage with them here is really important. It’s great. It’s great to soak up that atmosphere, whether it’s home or away. I loved interacting with them. I loved signing stuff, seeing the kids and all of that. I thought that was great.”

Since 2018, Fleetwood has produced the most points of any European player in the Ryder Cup. At the 2018 event in France, Fleetwood won all four of his matches during Europe’s victory. At the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, he captured the winning point.

Fleetwood, who is 7-3-2 in three Ryder Cup appearances, is at the peak of his powers, among the biggest reasons why Europe could become the first away team to claim victory since 2012.

And come Friday, the fan favorite knows he will find little love.

“Look, the sort of job of the home crowd is to support the home team. You wouldn’t hold anything against anybody in that way,” Fleetwood said. “But I do say that the home crowd is a big part of what makes the Ryder Cup so special, so unique to us. As individuals, you obviously don’t get to play in front of a home or team atmosphere. It’s always kind of crowd supporting individuals. But I think that energy, that passion and that home team environment is something that plays such a big part in the Ryder Cup, and I think you have to embrace that, enjoy it, and look forward to it, even when you’re the away team. It’s the biggest showcase of the sport that we get.”

When Fleetwood leaves Bethpage, the fans will return.

Until then, nationality trumps personality.

“When it’s time to play, I’ve always felt like I really just want to focus on my game, focus on each shot, try and get into my bubble as much as possible,” Fleetwood said. “That’s no different in the Ryder Cup. It’s just an extreme atmosphere.”