Ryder Cup rookie Tommy Fleetwood will be spurred on to success by a surprising supporter this weekend – Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.
Fleetwood, the reigning Race to Dubai champion, was on a Cheshire golf course with the City boss in April when Guardiola’s side were crowned Premier League champions following Manchester United’s defeat by West Brom.
Fleetwood, 27, was introduced to Guardiola through a mutual friend, and the pair have since struck up a friendship. They were partners at Wentworth for the celebrity Pro-Am event ahead of the BMW PGA Championship in May, and Guardiola has shown his support for Fleetwood ahead of this week’s showdown with the United States at Le Golf National.
“We all have these videos in the room, these motivational videos, and he was one of the guys that sent a message to me,” Fleetwood told reporters on Tuesday.
“I’m not sure he’s coming over. I’m sure he’s busy at the weekend but he might make it over. But yeah, we always talk quite a lot. He’s somebody that’s great to know.”
Guardiola gushed about his first-hand Ryder Cup experience as a fan at the 2012 edition in Medinah, when Europe pulled off a remarkable final-day comeback to stun the Americans on their home patch.
Fleetwood has made Team Europe, under the control of Thomas Bjorn.
The Spaniard, then on a 12-month sabbatical after leaving his post at Barcelona, was invited to the tournament as a guest of European captain Jose Maria Olazabal.
“He was at the Ryder Cup in Medinah, and he’ll always mention that that’s one of the greatest times he’s had in his life being at that Ryder Cup,” said Fleetwood.
“Yeah, it was a very special time. It has a special place in his heart, the Ryder Cup, and he’s been very supportive through the whole thing.
“Maybe we’ll see him, I don’t know.”
City are due to host Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, not ruling out the possibility of Guardiola making an appearance for Sunday’s singles.