Tommy Fleetwood dismisses gamesmanship accusation from golf commentator

Tommy Fleetwood has dismissed suggestions of "gamesmanship" during his play-off against Aaron Rai at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. 

The in-form Englishman lost over extra holes to compatriot Rai last week at Yas Links in the first leg of the DP World Tour's postseason. 

Rai was the first to arrive on the 18th tee box and even had enough time to have a little stretch before European Ryder Cup hero Fleetwood, 34, turned up a few minutes later. 

Sky Sports' golf commentator Andrew Coltart said he did not like the move by Fleetwood and insisted they should have arrived together. 

He accused Fleetwood of gamesmanship. 

Fleetwood told reporters before the DP World Tour Championship that he was not trying to mentally get one over on Rai. In fact, he regards him as one of his closer pals on Tour. 

He said he read "one little article" about his alleged gamesmanship but did not hear Coltart's comments nor did he know the context of which they were said. 

Fleetwood said the simple truth was that he needed to go to the toilet before the play-off and even asked a tournament official for permission before sprinting off. 

"I did see the comments, actually, just before," Fleetwood said. "It's one of those things, I don't know - look, you don't know in what context it was said. I didn't hear it. I read it.

"Either way, if there's a certain side of journalism where, you know, it's conveyed - I feel like it's disappointing, and you know, not even to, Andrew, I think very highly of him. 

"I think he's an amazing (commentator) - I've read one little piece and I'm not saying - whether the article was written that way. I'm not going to accuse anybody of meaning anything by it.

"I'm just saying from my point of view, I had just played with Aaron for 36 holes, we are unbelievably close and unbelievably supportive in each other in our careers. 

"I was desperate for the toilet, and then as soon as I was finished, I ran to the tee and that was how it happened."

Rai rolled in a birdie putt at the first play-off hole to seal victory. 

It represented his third DP World Tour win and first since triumphing at the 2024 Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour. 

Fleetwood continued: "So yeah, you know, I think everybody knows that I - or I would hope that everybody knows that I wouldn't do anything like that, and I think the world of Aaron, as well.

"So no, I don't know how it was written. It's hard to comment on something or defend yourself on something that you to the extent know in what form it was said or written.

"But like I said, that's what happened. We walked off the 18th and I was desperate to go to the toilet, I said to Miguel, 'Can I please go to the toilet?' He said yes. I ran to the toilet; ran to the tee."