Fleetwood prepares for first Masters, looks back on his time as tournament patron

Tommy Fleetwood vividly recalls the commotion behind No. 12 tee box.

He remembers the gallery. He still hears deafening applause from Masters Tournament patrons.

Most of all, he remembers glancing from the concession stand near Amen Corner toward the Hogan Bridge on Thursday during the 2014 Masters.

“It’s a really noisy, busy place,” Fleetwood said of the viewing area behind No. 12. “But you see the players hit that shot and then they walk over the bridge and it looks like you can hear a pin drop on the 12th green. I remember looking at that, and that’s where I wanted to be.”

In 2014, Fleetwood was at Augusta National as a spectator. The long-haired Englishman spent time viewing the course, while dreaming of being able to compete some day.

“I wanted to see the best players in the world play,” said Fleetwood, 26. “I think that’s better than a lot of practice when you can actually watch those guys.”

Three years later, Fleetwood is among the world’s elite.

Ranked No. 32 in the world – a career high – Fleetwood automatically qualified by being in the top 50. At the end of 2014, he finished the year ranked 51st, narrowly missing an automatic Masters bid.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Fleetwood said Sunday at Nike Golf’s showcase at Sage Valley Golf Club. “There’s so much history (at Augusta National) – so many unforgettable shots. Bubba (Watson’s) shot from (the pine straw) on 10. Phil (Mickelson) through the woods on 13. Tiger’s chip on 16. It’s probably the only course in the world where you remember so many individual moments.”

Although he has yet to win on the PGA Tour, Fleetwood has proved he can compete with – and beat – anyone in the world. In January, he won the Abu Dhabi Championship by one stroke over world No. 1 Dustin Johnson. The victory marked Fleetwood’s second European Tour title.

Fleetwood’s best finish on the PGA Tour came earlier this year at the World Golf Championships in Mexico where he finished second to Johnson. Fleetwood’s performance that week secured a trip to Augusta.

“It doesn’t disappoint when you arrive and you drive down Magnolia Lane,” Fleetwood said. “Like I say, my biggest excitement was walking over the bridge to 12 and standing on the 13th tee. Those were the two places when I watched I couldn’t get to and I was desperate to get there.”

As for his chances this week, Fleetwood is aware that no Masters rookie has won since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. What, then, did he do?

“I actually put my name down to play with Fuzzy Zoeller in the Par-3 (Contest),” Fleetwood said. “(Zoeller’s) the (last player) that won on the first try, so I thought that might give me some vibes.”