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Tommy Fleetwood turns down offer from LIV Tour

Tommy Fleetwood turns down offer from LIV Tour
© Reuters
Tommy Fleetwood confirms that he will not be joining the Saudi-backed LIV Tour, despite receiving offers to defect from the PGA Tour.

Golfer Tommy Fleetwood has confirmed that he turned down an approach from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund to join the LIV Tour backed by the Gulf state.

Fleetwood has seen his European Ryder Cup team mate Jon Rahm become arguably the biggest defector to the tour late in 2023, following the likes of Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson in turning their back on the PGA Tour.

Any player who joins the LIV Tour is immediately suspended by the PGA, and can then only play in the season's four major championships, which fall under separate jurisdictions.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Fleetwood confirmed that he has turned down an offer from LIV, saying: "There's nothing really, there's nothing going on. I'll always be doing what I think is best for my golf game and at the moment that is what I am doing."

The Englishman added: "I've been playing here [in Dubai] for the last two years and I'm still playing here now. I'm pretty boring news-wise and that's just what it is.

"People have been getting approached for a long, long time now so I don't think it's flash news that people are still being approached by LIV. Some people will go and some people won't. At some point we'll either all play together, or we won't. I, like everybody else, will just wait to find out.

Fleetwood is highly-regarded for his Ryder Cup exploits as part of the European team, where joining LIV would see him barred from competing in golf's most well-known team event.

Tommy Fleetwood in action during day one of the Ryder Cup on September 28, 2018© Reuters

Playing alongside Francesco Molinari, Fleetwood won all four of their matchups at Le Golf National in France back in 2018 as Europe took home the trophy on home soil once again.

Following defeat in the United States in 2021, Fleetwood helped Europe regain the Ryder Cup in Italy in 2023, adding another three points to his career tally, as the US were handsomely beaten 16.5-11.5.

Fleetwood returned to the winners circle for the first time in 14 months last week, seeing off Rory McIlroy in a tense finish at the Dubai Invitational.

The 33-year-old is still waiting for his first win in the States though, in either the PGA Tour, or at a major championship.

Second-place finishes at the US Open in 2018 and The Open in 2019 is the closest that Fleetwood has come, while he also failed to keep up with eventual runaway winner Brian Harman at last year's Open in his native Merseyside.

With six top-five finishes at the majors though, Fleetwood remains tipped to be one of the next first-time winners in the coming years.

"I'm still chasing my childhood dreams and still trying to be the best golfer I can be. Who knows if that changes in the future but for now that's just where I want to be." Fleetwood stated.

Fleetwood is currently playing at the Dubai Desert Classic in the Middle East, where he is seven-under-par in a tie for seventh, seven shots adrift of leader Cameron Young, after three rounds.

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Brian Harman during the third round of the Open Championship on July 22, 2023.
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