Tommy Fleetwood put everything into the Betfred British Masters on and off the course and while he didn’t win the title, he certainly won a legion of fans during a week that will live long in the memory.
“It’s been very, very special for a number of reasons,” he said. “I would have loved to have played a bit better and given the fans a little more to cheer but the number one thing I wanted when given the opportunity to host was to bring it here to Southport. I knew it would be great event but this has exceeded all expectations.
“I am so grateful for everyone involved, for working at the event, to volunteering, to coming out to watch - I am so, so grateful.
“It has been a sell-out crowd, so many families, so many kids and it has been great to and play in front of them all Hopefully we have done a little bit in growing the game.
I am so grateful for everyone involved, for working at the event, to volunteering, to coming out to watch - Tommy Fleetwood
Among the initiatives launched this week at the stunning Hillside Golf Club was the Tommy Fleetwood Academy to introduce more kids into the game.
“I know I was the face of the event and the academy, our academy, but none of it's about me. This was all about bringing a tournament to everybody in the northwest that I see all the time when I go home and everything.
“And the academy is the same. I want kids to have a chance to enjoy the game and I want them to learn and play. I was the face of the event and I had the opportunity to do something special and bring it here, but it's about everyone else and everyone else did a great job.”
