Accepted golfing wisdom suggests it is difficult to follow up one outstanding round with another the next day. Does the same apply for whole seasons, though?
Tommy Fleetwood is about to find out. The 34-year-old Englishman enjoyed the most remarkable year of his career to date in 2026.
It included a maiden win in the United States, and one in Indi, too. He had 11 top 10 finishes around the world, and was the star of Europe’s away Ryder Cup win.
By the time he packed his clubs away after the DP World Tour Championship in November, he was up to No 3 in the world, and very good value for it.
Ahead of him now are just Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. “Just” is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence.
Fleetwood modestly acknowledged he is happy to be mentioned as competing with a couple of golf’s all-time greats. Picking a path to get past them is going to be the tricky bit.
“I'm starting the year out in a different place, in a higher place in the world rankings, and a higher level of golf than I've ever sort of played,” Fleetwood said.
“The first part of it is obviously trying to make sure that is my level and I can maintain that while trying to push forward and trying to find those improvements and compete with those guys.
“I've always said it: we’re very lucky to have the likes of Scottie and Rory and other players that drive you to be better.”
Fleetwood will likely be in the company of the latter again at some point this week.
The Englishman is looking to defend the Dubai Invitational he won after its inaugural staging two years ago. He took that title at the 72nd hole after the drive of his final-round playing partner – McIlroy – found the water of Dubai Creek.
Fleetwood is no stranger to playing alongside McIlroy, who is also in the field at the Invitational, and he says he is grateful to be able to do so.
“They [Scheffler and McIlroy] are unbelievable golfers; I really do think they already are [greats], but they're definitely going to go down as that,” Fleetwood said.
“We don't know how great they're going to end up at the end of their careers. But to have two of the greats of all time to chase, to just watch and learn from, then compete against as well and see what you can do against them, I think we're all very, very lucky.
“I'm looking forward to whatever opportunities come my way in terms of where I can get to and how often I can try and take those guys on.”
Despite living in Dubai, Fleetwood has not played at the Creek Golf and Yacht Club since winning the first Invitational there, back in 2024.
Time spent on any course at all has been minimal since he finished in a tie for third at the season-ending Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
His off-season included family time both in the UK and in Dubai, before stepping up practice at the turn of the year.
“No matter how well you've practiced or played in practice, once it comes into tournament mode, there's always a little bit of nerves,” he said.
“You're not quite sure how you're going to play again, and hopefully you can get into a rhythm pretty quickly.”
If he does have to rely on memory to start with this week, then he at least has some great ones to be going on with.
“Any time you get to test yourself against one of the greatest of all time is always a lot of fun,” Fleetwood said of that win against McIlroy two years back.
“It was a great finish. It was a good reminder that anything can happen, that you just have to stick in.
“I felt like I had control of the tournament on the back nine, and Rory came through. Thriston [Lawrence, who finished tied second with McIlroy] had an amazing round.
“And things went my way. It was just a reminder of you have to keep going and play until the very wind.”
