“I wasn’t emotional about winning” - Tommy Fleetwood on winning the 2022 Nedbank Challenge after his mother’s passing

Tommy Fleetwood, who won the Nedbank Challenge in 2019, repeated the glory in November 2022. The golfer won the 2022 Nedbank Challenge, beating Ryan Fox by one shot. However, the two victories didn’t mean the same for the Englishman.

Fleetwood’s victory at the Nedbank Challenge after three years was special. This was the golfer’s first win since his mother, Sue, passed away. She died at the age of 60 in July. The Englishman recently reflected on the golf title and passing of his mother and said that he “wasn’t emotional about winning.”

The PGA Tour golfer revealed that he was hit by a kaleidoscope of thoughts in South Africa after the win. Speaking in an interview with The Guardian, Tommy Fleetwood said that he enjoyed playing and felt calm on the day.

He said:

“That was the emotional part… I wasn’t emotional about winning. I felt very calm that day. I enjoyed playing and coming down the stretch. My mindset was good, I was playing really well. At the last, it was just one of those moments.”

Fleetwood went on to state the role his mother played in his life and career.

“Mum had supported me through all the shit in 2021 when I was playing badly. Simple messages like: ‘You’ll have a good day tomorrow.’ Then the week that I win without her …”

It is pertinent to note that Fleetwood has rarely spoken about his loss in public. Apart from a social media post in the aftermath of the 150th Open revealing the death of his mother, the golfer has kept his emotions intact at events.

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Tommy Fleetwood on his mother's illness

Tommy Fleetwood has played comfortably in the past years and found his place in the world’s top 50 despite his mother’s long fight with her illness.

Opening up about his mother’s bout with cancer, Tommy Fleetwood said:

“She had cancer for two years. She had been in and out of hospital. Obviously, you never expect her to die. You are never ready for that. She had been on and off chemo and really struggling for a while so she had been unwell for a decent amount of time. I went to see her on the Tuesday after the Open. She wasn’t particularly happy but looked the best I had seen her in a year and a half. I came home and said: ‘My mum looks so good today.’ She died the next morning.”

In the interview, Fleetwood spoke about grief and how he dealt with emotions.

He said:

“Who is ever ready for that (mom’s death)? She was still young. She was the one person apart from my wife who texted me every day of my life. It was a big loss, a big hole. I felt for my dad, who had sat next to mum for two years and watched her suffer. They had been married for 42 years. I am proud of him for how he handled it all.”

Notably, the golfer went on to state that people “adapt” to situations. In a very self-effacing style, Fleetwood said that he was happy for his mother and the time they spent together.

It is pertinent to note that Tommy Fleetwood took little to no break from golf. The golfer played The Open in July and returned in early September for the PGA Championship at Wentworth. The golfer is now back on his regular schedule and will look to make the most of 2023.