Professional golfers Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy were reduced to fits of laughter at this year's Masters, but the source of their amusement wasn't a wayward shot—it was the impressive television debut of their colleague's eight-year-old son.
A Star is Born at Augusta
The scene was set during the traditional par-three competition at the hallowed Augusta National. Frankie Fleetwood, the young son of English golfer Tommy Fleetwood, has become a familiar face on tour, but he truly stole the show when he gave a remarkably poised interview to Sky Sports. When asked about his practice routine for a particular shot, the aspiring young golfer delivered a response that would impress any seasoned professional.
"Well, I’ve been doing my hardest to get it over the green," Frankie stated. "I’ve been practising as hard as I can. Just not reaching it this year but I’m trying my hardest."
The delightful and mature answer sent fellow competitors Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy into hysterics. Lowry immediately quipped, "Fleetwood’s having him on media training already!"—a jest that highlighted just how polished the youngster's on-camera demeanour was.
Family Takes Centre Stage
Since his star turn at the Masters, Frankie's year has been a whirlwind. He celebrated his birthday while watching the European team, which included his father, retain the Ryder Cup in a dramatic finish at Bethpage Black in New York.
Tommy Fleetwood, speaking at October’s Alfred Dunhill Championship, joked about his son's newfound fame. "He’s taking up too much of the spotlight. We’ve got to quieten that down!" the proud father said. "But it’s great for me. My favourite thing about golf is being able to play with your family."
A Father-Son Moment Made Real
The Fleetwood family story took another heartwarming turn last month at the DP World India Championship. After Fleetwood Snr sealed his victory, a special moment unfolded as Frankie raced onto the 18th green to hug his dad—a scene the young boy had specifically requested.
"I think we were playing golf together, and he [Frankie] just said randomly, ‘Do you know what you’ve never done?’" Fleetwood recalled. "He said, ‘You’ve never won a tournament and I’ve been able to run on to the 18th green.’ I was like, ‘I’m writing that down,’ so I had that written down all week."
Fleetwood described the profound significance of fulfilling his son's wish. "It was just another opportunity, really. There is going to be many more times where I hopefully get the chance to do that. But all day today, I had in my mind, ‘Could I put myself in a position where I can actually make that moment happen?’ It is just one of those little things. It means so much to me. That is what I wanted to do all day."
The Fleetwood family, which also includes Tommy's two stepsons, Oscar and Murray, from his wife Clare's first marriage, continues to show that behind the professional tournaments and fierce competition, the most cherished victories are often the personal ones.
