Tommy Fleetwood must beat friend and history-making Ryder Cup partner, Francesco Molinari, if he is to repeat his 2017 success as Race to Dubai champion.
Molinari and Fleetwood are last out on Thursday as the European Tour comes to a close and after surviving a late run by Justin Rose last year, it is now Fleetwood who must do the chasing.
The Englishman has only won win to his name this season – he defended his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA title – and finds the equation simple: win to have any chance of toppling Molinari.
Fleetwood confirmed there has been some friendly banter about the outcome of the season-long race to top the moneylist.
‘There was a little bit actually last week, but it was the first time I had really spoke about it. I think all of a sudden it’s came down to just us two that can win it, and those are the only two scenarios,’ he said.
‘We’ve literally never mentioned it until last week and then made a couple of jokes about it. It’s funny, like he’ll say, like it’s in my hands, and I’ll say it’s in his. That’s just how it will be.
‘It’s a very good thing that we’ll be teeing off on Thursday together and sort of see that we have a chance. Great for us as friends. You know you’re going out there with sort of the person that you’re closest with on Tour, trying to win the biggest prize that we play for.
‘So it’s a nice – it’s a nice thing, that, and like I say, if it doesn’t work out for me, I couldn’t be happier for him for what he’s achieved this year.’
