“A worrying time” – Tommy Fleetwood opens up on caddie’s health battle

Tommy Fleetwood has spoken of the “worrying time” he experienced this year as his caddie and best friend Ian Finnis battled health issues.

Finnis, who has been on Fleetwood’s bag since 2016, missed several months of 2024 after undergoing open heart surgery in April.

He returned at the Genesis Scottish Open in July and, weeks later, steered Fleetwood to a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Ahead of this week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, Fleetwood – making his first appearance on home soil since this event a year ago – opened up on a scary few months.

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“We went through a worrying time,” he said. “It goes back to the start of the year when he was really poorly for a good two or three months, which wasn’t great. He was really struggling. I think anybody that was close to him had that bit of like worry at the time.

“From when he got diagnosed to having his operation, it probably felt like a lifetime to him but it was actually a quick-ish process, and then you are just focusing on the recovery for him.

“He was up and about quick. He’s a do-er. He was up and about. He was talking a lot. He was in contact a lot. Obviously, I didn’t see him for a while, which was unusual.

“But I think once I got past that initial hope that the worst doesn’t happen and hoping that everything goes right and you knew he was fine and on his way to recovery, he actually came back way quicker than any of us thought he would. Fair play to him.”

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Fleetwood added that he felt as though he put too much pressure on himself to perform well when Finnis did return.

“I really wanted to play well,” he added. “I thought it would be a cool story if we did amazing when he came back. But it’s been amazing having him back.

“I think the Olympics was great for us, and we’ve done well since. I feel like we’re back into a rhythm and a stride together, and it’s been good.

“But I think everybody has just been happy to see him back healthy. I actually think he looks better than ever, healthier than ever, and that’s the main thing.”

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor