Tommy Fleetwood’s caddie receives open-heart surgery
After speculation surrounded the absence of Tommy Fleetwood’s caddie in recent weeks, Ian Finnis revealed what had been keeping him on the sidelines…
Ian Finnis, the long-time caddie of Tommy Fleetwood, revealed on Tuesday that he’d received open-heart surgery.
The tall looper from Liverpool missed the Masters last month which left Fleetwood to source local caddie Gray Moore who helped him to finish tied for third at Augusta National.
Fleetwood told reporters that Finnis “hadn’t been well all year” and that he was at home “to recover and to get the right treatment.”
“Open heart surgery done!!” Finnis wrote on social media, ending speculation as to the reasons for his absence. “Massive thanks to all at the NHS staff. The road to recovery has started. Thanks for all the love.”
Ian Finnis: On the road to recovery
Fleetwood has also acquired the services of TaylorMade senior manager Adrian Rietveld in the two PGA Tour starts where Finnis has been absent.
He has very much been an ever-present on Fleetwood’s bag since they joined forces in 2016 and it’s fair to say the pair have become one of the most popular player-caddie duos on both sides of the Atlantic.
The pair have won six DP World Tour titles together, most recently at the Dubai Invitational back in January. They have also negotiated the last three Ryder Cups together where Fleetwood has been a talisman for Team Europe.
The absence of Finnis hasn’t been the only role reversal that Fleetwood has been involved with these last few weeks.
The 33-year-old from Southport rolled back the years and returned to the Challenge Tour last week where he caddied for his stepson at the UAE Challenge.
17-year-old amateur Oscar Craig made the cut and finished 60th. Before becoming a stalwart on the DP World Tour, Fleetwood won once on the Challenge Tour and once on the now-extinct EuroPro Tour.
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Let’s hope Ian Finnis is on his feet in no time! What do you make of this Tommy Fleetwood caddie story? Tell us on X!
Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spoken to the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson, to name just a few.
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