Tommy Fleetwood sticking to the process as he shares halfway lead at Olympics

By Mathieu Wood

Tommy Fleetwood admits the pressure of vying for a medal at the Olympic Games is ensuring he is containing his excitement after playing his way into a share of the halfway lead.

The Englishman sits alongside defending gold medallist Xander Schauffele and 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama after carding a seven-under-par 64 to reach 11 under at Le Golf National.

While Fleetwood is no stranger to the pressures of golf’s biggest global events, the 33-year-old has struggled to fight for silverware since he won his seventh DP World Tour title at the Dubai Invitational in January.

"I actually haven't been in contention for a while," he said. "I kind of enjoy that on its own, as well as it being the Olympics.

"Like I say, it brings with it its own mental challenges. You're playing for a medal. You look at the atmosphere this week, we constantly get asked the question, where does the Olympics sit in golf.

"When you look at how it's going this week, it continues and continues to grow, and what people feel about it.

"It brings its own nerves and excitement and it's very, very special. So, yeah, it's its own unique feeling and it's amazing."

Fleetwood is making his second appearance at the Olympics, three years on from finishing in a tie for 16th place, seven shots off Schauffele’s winning score.

He has spoken of how his appreciation for what it means to compete on this stage has grown as his six-year-old son Frankie has taken an ever-growing interest in the summer sporting spectacle.

Asked how he would reflect if he ended his career without a Major win but a gold medal, the Team GB athlete replied: “Still got a gold medal, right.

“I try and look at things through the eyes of Frankie, for instance, my son, at six years old.

A gold medal would be something that I would be very proud of

“If I had a gold medal, he would always take it when I was gone or whatever, and I think what an unbelievably special thing to have.

“I think being able to be a part of or one of all these unbelievable athletes that put their heart and soul into their chosen craft and a gold medal is the absolute pinnacle of what they do.

“I have an unbelievable respect for that, and I understand how special it is and how much it means.

“So I mean, ideally I would like both but you know, still, a gold medal would be something that I would be very proud of.”

Fleetwood won the Open de France in 2017 and was a star of the European Ryder-Cup winning team in 2018 but he insists he can’t solely draw on those memories.

“I've played it enough to understand sort of how the golf course plays,” he said.

“It's an amazing tee shot and approach shot golf course. I feel comfortable with the decisions I make off the tee.

“You still have to step up and hit a golf shot but I feel comfortable with how the course plays and the game plan and that. So that's one thing.

“But like I say, you still have to step up and hit the golf shots. I've done that good so far and I'll try and just keep doing that.”