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Cape Town - Tommy Fleetwood will play in front of his home fans for the first time since being crowned 2017 Race to Dubai Champion when the Englishman tees it up at this week's BMW PGA Championship, the first event of the European Tour's Rolex Series.
The world No 12's homecoming also marks his return to European soil for the first time in 2018 after a successful few months on the PGA Tour where he has missed just one cut in ten appearances, claimed four top tens and three further top 20 finishes.
"I've been excited about coming back for a little bit now. You're returning to Wentworth, which is a massive event, but just coming back home and coming back to the tour where I've spent my life, with the same people for the last six, seven years. I've really looked forward to seeing those people and just getting back out," said Fleetwood.
That consistent form, allied with the fact that he is already a European Tour winner in 2018 following victory at January's Abu Dhabi Championship, means that Fleetwood is brimming with confidence at the prestigious Wentworth Club this week.
"I feel comfortable on the course and feel like it suits me. There may be the odd tee shot or two that don't quite fit my eye and it just so happens that the last couple years, I've had poor performances. One of those years, 2016, was a bit of a write-off but last year I came in on good form and I didn't quite produce the golf that I wanted to," he said.
"But I do love the course and I love playing in front of the home crowds that we get here for us, being English and British. Any given week, you never know how you're going to play, but I do like the course and I've always felt like it is one of those tournaments that I could do well at."
Before the real business begins on Thursday - with Fleetwood teeing it up alongside compatriots Ian Poulter and Matt Wallace for the first two rounds - the 27-year-old will first have the honour of playing alongside the Premier League-winning Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola in Wednesday's BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am.
"Pep's a good character to be around. He's quite an inspiring person to be honest. He's a successful person in his own right, and I get on great with him. We stay in touch now, and he's very competitive, so he'll be right up for it tomorrow," said Fleetwood.
"Being around people like that can only help you and make you better, whether it's golf or a different sport. If you're hanging around with people that are successful in their sport, it's only going to help you."
