Ryder Cup 2021: Tommy Fleetwood ready to move on from 'Moliwood'

Europe can’t rely on ‘Moliwood’ to tee up another Ryder Cup victory this weekend but one half of that Paris partnership is eager to enjoy more memorable moments in the event.

Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari during the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in France. Picture: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

Franceso Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood earned one of the great names in sport after winning four matches together for Thomas Bjorn at Le Golf National in 2018 as Europe recovered from losing the opening session 3-1 to triumph by seven points.

Following a dip in form that coincided with back trouble, Molinari has missed out on defending the trophy, but Fleetwood has made it to Whistling Straits as part of Padraig Harrington’s team.

“He would love to be here,” said Fleetwood of Molinari, who created history three years ago by becoming the first player to win five points out of five in the contest.”

“But, for me, it's another Ryder Cup. It's with a bunch of guys that were in Paris. It's with some new guys but guys that you see all the time.

“And I think just being a part of Team Europe, everybody feels and is made to feel so at home and so part of it, and I love being in the environment that we create when a Ryder Cup comes around.

“I think Moliwood was a great name. It's not around this week, but we have an unbelievable team, and I can't wait to partner up with whoever that's going to be.

“I had an incredibly lucky experience that in my first Ryder Cup as a rookie I had somebody like Francesco by my side who was obviously playing great and I was playing well.

“But none of that really matters at all this week. It's completely different, and I'm just excited to play with whoever my partner is, as are the rest of the team.”

Will Paris be a tough act to follow from a personal perspective? “No,” insisted the Englishman. “It's memories that I will have and that team will have for a lifetime, and hopefully we'll do the same in this one.

“Whether it be a Ryder Cup or major or regular tournament, life goes on, and there's always the next challenge around the corner. That's just what this is.

“Let's just create our own memories this week and keep them in the locker forever, as well.”

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