The China Mail - Major dreams and Middle East War in Fleetwood's Masters thoughts

The 35-year-old Englishman, runner-up at the 2018 US Open and 2019 British Open plus the 2024 Paris Olympics, has a best Masters finish of third in 2024 as he prepares for his 10th start at Augusta National.

"It would be very special," Fleetwood said Tuesday of winning this week.

"We've watched some of the best shots of all time here on the back nine of Augusta over the last however many years, and you can relate to that because you feel like you know it. Whether you've played here or not, you feel like you know so much about it."

World number four Fleetwood, an eight-time winner on the DP World Tour, captured his first US PGA Tour title at last year's Tour Championship to take the FedEx Cup playoff crown.

But he yearns for the major title that has eluded him through 41 major starts and eight top-10 finishes.

"You always know that how much you want it is there in the background, so I try to let that be a thing and then just focus on what I'm doing at the time," said Fleetwood.

"I would love to be there late on Sunday in with a chance. Those juices flowing on the back nine of Augusta... But I've never had that joy yet of playing on the back nine with a chance to win the Masters. Yeah, I'd really love that so much."

Fleetwood opened a youth golf academy in Dubai in 2022, but with the region engulfed in war, he worries for the safety of staff, students and friends there.

"I'm lucky that my family are with me this week. I think it's difficult," Fleetwood said.

"You can only go on your personal experiences of whatever is going on and not get caught up in the bigger picture of things that are out of your control and whatever is going on in the world.

"I think the main thing is hoping that everybody is always safe, and that's the main thing, whether that be family, friends, students, whatever is going on.

"I think we have no impact on what's going on in the world at any given time, but you just hope that anyone that's close to you or associated with you or anybody in general is safe. That's the main thing and there's nothing more you can do about that."

- 'Never hit enough' -

Fleetwood also realizes his limitations at Augusta National in practice rounds, where too much shotmaking is never enough.

"You just never feel like you've hit enough golf shots on this golf course -- like you want to hit a chip from over there, I need to hit that putt because it does this," Fleetwood said.

"There's always something about every hole or the course when you're playing that you want to do that little bit more. You just learn you can't do everything in the practice rounds.

"The course makes you feel like you want to do more. It's doing the right amount of things and going from there."

L.Johnson--ThChM