Tommy Fleetwood showed his class by running after a straw hat that had blown its way onto the Augusta National golf course.
The British golf sensation was 3-under through nine but a bogey at 10 left him at 2-under for the round, with the remaining set of holes to be played early tomorrow. Fleetwood was grouped with Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa who both finished the day 1-over.
All three had piped drives down the ninth, giving themselves roughly 100 yards in. Morikawa hit his shot to about five feet and Fleetwood obliged by doing the same. But before Johnson could take his shot a straw hat was making its way across the fairway post haste.
Winds were hitting more than 20mph at times during the opening round of the Masters, with many golfers feeling the effects of the elements. It was the same weather that forced a two-hour delayed start on Monday.
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Fortunately, much of the expected rain never came. But the wind at times proved treacherous and hard to navigate. And it was one particularly big gust of wind that sent a women's hat on its journey.
Fleetwood spotted the object and immediately darted after it. The 33-year-old stopped the hat in its tracks, picking it up. Instead of handing it to a marshal, the Brit jogged to the rope and handed it back to its grateful owner.
Walking back to the fairway fans nearby cheered and clapped their unlikely hero. To make things better, Fleetwood sunk his putt to go 3-under. Fleetwood has had something of a mixed start to his 2024. Of the six events he's played, Fleetwood has been cut once with his highest finish tied-seventh.
Tommy Fleetwood has made a promising start at the Masters (Getty Images)Fleetwood played at the Valero Texas Open last weekend, where he recorded that season-best finish - and was pleased he squeezed in the tournament. "Yeah, glad I played last week," he said. "I think I struggled with a couple of things in Florida. Had two weeks off, practiced well, and I think playing last week was a good idea for me, really. I grew a lot of confidence from that. I played pretty well in practice, doesn't always follow, but it's just time to go out and play now.
Speaking prior to Thursday's round and the storms, Fleetwood said: "It just makes it harder. The course is already been playing pretty firm I think in practice. The rain might soften it up a little bit. The wind just makes it harder. It swirls so much in these trees and, yeah, the course just hits you hard, really. But, no, I look forward to it. Everybody's got to go out there and play. I think, again, it's a major and a very special one and I think it should test every aspect of your game."
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