Ian Finnis, the long-serving caddie for Tommy Fleetwood is on the road to recovery after undergoing open-heart surgery.
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) April 30, 2024
Tommy Fleetwood made a remarkable return at the Genesis Scottish Open, shooting a 5-under 65 to secure a top spot on the leaderboard. Ideal conditions at the Renaissance Club and the return of his long-time caddie, Ian Finnis, played a significant role in his stellar performance.
Finnis, who had been absent due to open heart surgery in April, last caddied for Fleetwood at The Players Championship in March. His return marks the end of an extended absence that saw him miss three of the four majors this year.
“It feels nice to have had a really good round in his first week, for him more than anything,” Fleetwood said. “It’s been great. Felt so normal. We did a great job. Everything sort of flowed, really. He made a couple of great decisions, so it’s not like he’s been away.”
During Finnis’s absence, Fleetwood hired Gray Moore, the former Caddie Master at Augusta National, for The Masters in April, where Fleetwood tied for third, his best finish at the event. David Clark, who now caddies for Ian Poulter, also stepped in, helping Fleetwood maintain a consistent performance with finishes between 13th and 49th.
In their first round back together, Tommy Fleetwood kept his scorecard clean, recording five birdies. Starting on the back nine, he birdied the par-3 12th, followed by eight straight pars, then heated up with four birdies in the final seven holes.
“I played very, very well. I think we had lovely conditions, like an almost really perfect amount of breeze to use when you wanted it,” Fleetwood said. “I gave myself a lot of chances. Holed out really well. As always, you would like to hole one more, especially when hitting it beautifully. It was great to have Fino back and a lovely way to start a tournament.”
With Finnis back on the bag, Fleetwood’s strong play is set to continue, and a victory at the Scottish Open could be on the horizon.
