Tommy Fleetwood, the Southport-born golf star, is once again in the running for his first PGA Tour win at the Tour Championship in Atlanta. However, recent media comments have revealed more details about the pro’s two-decade age gap with his wife.
The 34-year-old fired a brilliant three-under-par third round to head into the final 18 holes tied with American Patrick Cantlay.
Despite being one of golf’s most consistent players, a PGA Tour victory has so far eluded Fleetwood, even though he has had runner-up finishes in majors and Ryder Cup success with Europe. He also holds an unwanted record – the most prize money ever earned on the PGA Tour without a single win.
Despite the wait for a title, Fleetwood’s career has been hugely lucrative. He has banked £24m ($32.5m) in prize money, with £4.7m ($6.4m) of that coming in 2024 alone.
A tied-third finish at the St Jude Championship earlier this month saw him pocket £860,000 over that weekend. Off the course, the Englishman is backed by major sponsors including Nike, TaylorMade and Tag Heuer.
However, his wife and agent Clare has revealed that the couple regularly turn down money-making opportunities, reports Wales Online.
“You know we’ve turned down loads, absolutely loads,” she told the Performance People podcast. “I just know his time is more important at home than the bank account. I don’t care about the bank account either, so I’m on his wavelength.”
Fleetwood first met Clare, who worked in sports management, through his brother in 2015.
Their professional partnership blossomed into romance and the duo wed in 2017. They are now parents to son Frankie, whilst Clare also has two elder children from a former relationship.
The couple, who moved to Dubai in 2022, have been candid about their distinctive working dynamic, with Clare continuing to oversee her husband’s career.
“We’ve got a 23-year age difference,” she stated, reflecting on the early stages of their romance.
“Of course, I turned him down. I was like, ‘Don’t be stupid.'”
Fleetwood revealed how he ultimately charmed Clare, culminating in a frank four-word admission: “Well, she just eventually gave in, I think, and thought, ‘I’ll just give him some time. I’ll give him the time of day and then we’ll go from there.’ I didn’t mess up.”
Clare went on to discuss contemplating stepping back from her managerial duties following their marriage, but recognised that balancing both roles provides her with complete understanding.
“I know everything on every side – so there’s sponsorship side, the logistics side, the PR side, the accounts side, everything,” she elaborated.
“Maybe sometimes too much, you know, because then that’s all I think about sometimes, but that’s just the different dynamic.
“I look at one question – it might have 15 answers for me. Do you know what I mean? It’s a little bit more complicated for me because I see things, you know, like, are we going to live?
“I don’t see it as a lifestyle choice necessarily, I’ll look at it as a business choice as well.”
In an earlier conversation with The Times, Tommy touched on the bond he shares with his partner, attributing their connection to their upbringing. He said: “We share a very northern sense of humour.
“We’re both from working-class backgrounds – when you look at our parents they brought us up in a similar fashion, whether it be in terms of kindness or toughness or wanting to be the best you can be.”
