Tommy Fleetwood hopes putting tips pay dividends

Tommy Fleetwood is hoping that a new putter and some advice from two former Ryder Cup stars can help him contend at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The World Number Ten arrives at Yas Links on the back of a four-week break, during which time he has added a new TaylorMade putter to his bag.

Fleetwood also took advice from Ken Brown and David Howell as part of his preparations for a tournament he won in 2017 and 2018.

“I have enjoyed practise and everything, and just getting -- it's funny, really. I think four weeks in golfers' terms without a tournament feels like a year,” Fleetwood said.

“But it's nice to be back and getting into the rhythm of preparing for a tournament, a beautiful place, great weather, so looking forward to it.

“It is a new putter. It is a new TaylorMade putter that I've been working with at home.

“The guys at TaylorMade, they have done an amazing job like we spoke about, designing something a little bit different.

“It's felt really, really good. It was the perfect time for me to be practising with something.

“I love testing my equipment and testing things that are new and different, but it's so difficult with the way the schedule is. The tournaments are packed in so close to each other, and there's never not a big event or not an important event it seems.

“To have that time at home to work on something that I've put a lot of effort into and something I'm really interested in; and like I said, TaylorMade have done an amazing job with it, and it's felt good.

“Looking forward to going out there tomorrow and getting it in competition play because that's the only thing I haven't done yet, so that's exciting.”

On the advice he received from compatriots Brown and Howell, the Englishman added: “I always talk to the guys, especially Ken. We have had some great conversations about putting over the years, and I just always like seeing the guys and talking about the game.

“It's just nice being around people that are so passionate about the game still.

“We were talking about putting and my putting, and a couple of things, and then Howler, they are two great putters, two of the best putters that I've ever met. So you're all picking things up and always learning.

“It's just great. I love that those guys want the best for me, and are always there to help and have conversations. I love that about golf.”

Another former winner of the tournament, Shane Lowry, had his own equipment concerns until his clubs finally arrived on Wednesday morning.

“It's nice to come back and always nice to come back to the Middle East here and a place where I've played well and had some success,” the Irishman said. “It's a part of the world I love having to play golf and having to be here.

“My clubs were delivered this morning. I was panicking yesterday. I was trying to get a make-up set built. All is good now, and I had my own set for the Pro-Am today and ready to go.”