‘I AM VERY LUCKY’ – TOMMY FLEETWOOD’S CADDIE IAN FINNIS ON HIS LIFE-SAVING HEART SURGERY
Tommy Fleetwood’s caddie Ian Finnis has described himself as “very lucky” after open-heart surgery fixed a life-threatening complaint.
Finnis, one of the tallest and most popular characters on Tour, was hospitalised a few weeks before last month’s Masters after months of poor health in the wake of a virus.
Yet while Fleetwood finished in a tie for third at Augusta National using a local caddie in Gray Moore, the condition of Finnis, 44, took a frightening turn for the worse and he was operated on at the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.
Finnis has since returned home to Crosby, where he lives with wife Rachel Brown-Finnis – the former England goalkeeper who is now a TV analyst – and their two children. “I was very lucky,” Finnis told Telegraph Sport. “They are not exactly sure what happened but bacteria got into a hole in my heart that I’d lived with previously with no problems and then ate away both valves.
“They opened me up and the amazing surgeon, Mr Generali, fitted a metal valve and by some miracle he fixed the other valve, saving me from a getting tissue one which would have had to be replaced every seven years or so. I have to express massive appreciation to Mr Generali and to all the staff at the hospital. You know, the NHS is really incredible.”
Finnis is on the pathway to recover and is exercising. “They had me attempting to walk the day after in intensive care,” he said. “It’s a balance but you need to use your heart to get it better. I’m aiming to get back in July for the Scottish Open and then the Open the week after.”
Fleetwood will be glad to have him back. They are long-time friends and in the seven years they have worked together they have won six tournaments, a DP World Tour order of merit title, starred on two winning Ryder Cup teams and cracked the world’s top 10.
“I’ve spoken to him a lot through the whole thing, obviously, and the process went from not knowing what’s wrong to finding out and not believing this is actually happening, to worrying about the operation,” Fleetwood told Telegraph Sport. “But it’s great that the operation was a success and that he’s on the mend. His aim is Scotland but I’ve told him the thing is not to rush. You get wrapped up in what you’re doing out here, but this has told us that health is everything.”
Fleetwood has an able replacement in David Clark. The Englishman has been employed by the likes of Justin Rose, Vijay Singh, Paul Casey and Michelle Wie, but is now with Poulter on the LIV Golf League. “It’s great to have him, as he is very experienced,” Fleetwood said. “I spoke to Poults and he was great about it. Clarky worked last week and is here this week and hopefully will be at the US Open next month. It doesn’t conflict with Poults’ schedule so all good.”
After his finest display at the Masters, Fleetwood is, at the very least, looking for his first top three in this major to complete the podium set. Alongside Clark, he finished tied 13th behind Rory McIlroy in Charlotte on Sunday, but with two bogeys to finish knows it should have been better.
However, he is far from disheartened as he returns to Valhalla, the scene of his first US major 10 years ago. “I missed the cut back then and it’s all a bit of a blur now,” he said. “I’m a different player and person now. I played some great golf at Augusta and am taking all the positives from it, because you beat yourself up a lot out here.”
Alas, not everyone can see the bright side. In the Augusta aftermath, Fleetwood found himself being bizarrely accused in some quarters – inevitably on social media – of not being aggressive enough on the Sunday.
“It’s funny that I got criticised for shooting a bogey-free 69 in tough conditions at a blustery Augusta National on a major Sunday,” he said. “Not sure I get that. Look, I’ve had two 63s in the final rounds of US Opens, so I can hardly be slaughtered for holding back if it’s on. I’m happy with where I’m at. I putted superbly on the weekend [in Charlotte] and my short game is very sharp. I think I’m close.”
2024-05-15T10:24:21Z dg43tfdfdgfd
