Luke Donald will be counting on Tommy Fleetwood to play a big role for Team Europe when they head to Bethpage Black for the Ryder Cup later this month.
He’s well-liked both in the US and Europe, but it’s safe to say he won’t be hearing much support from the crowd in New York.
Donald has already made sure his team knows exactly how tough the atmosphere is going to be at Bethpage.
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But Fleetwood has shown before that he can handle pressure, and his steady presence should help calm things down around him. His recent form only adds to the confidence Donald will have in him going into the week.
No one on the American side will be looking forward to matching up against him either. He was playing well heading into Rome two years ago, too, and came out of that event with even more respect from European fans.
Tommy Fleetwood reflects on Luke Donald’s singles order choice at the 2023 Ryder Cup
Tommy Fleetwood isn’t the loudest presence in the room, but he’s the type who sets standards through his play rather than his words.
And there’s no doubt Luke Donald will be looking to him again when Europe head to Bethpage Black later this month.
Don’t be surprised if Donald puts him out late in Sunday singles once more, trusting him to handle whatever comes his way.
Speaking on the No Laying Up Podcast, Fleetwood shared that he wasn’t thrilled about being placed 11th by Donald last year, though he understood the reasoning behind it.
“I played 11 at Whistling Straits and it just wasn’t a great spot to be in for that one because we struggled as a team, and then the Ryder Cup was sort of done early on in the singles.”
“So for us being at the back, it was a bit deflating being at the back.
Looking at Tommy Fleetwood’s Ryder Cup track record
Fleetwood has put together a strong record during his time in the Ryder Cup.
Here’s how he has performed across his three appearances so far:
| Results | Fleetwood’s totals |
| Matches played | 12 |
| Wins | 7 |
| Losses | 3 |
| Halves | 2 |
| Total points won | 8 |
That kind of track record will give him plenty of belief heading into Bethpage Black later this month.
If he can deliver another three or four points, it would put Europe in a good position to challenge the United States.
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