Tommy Fleetwood’s wife Clare was ‘paranoid’ after meeting golfer

Tommy Fleetwood is yet to win a major championship, but the golfer has a strong support system in place thanks to his wife Clare – who he shares three children with

Tommy Fleetwood, together with his wife Clare, has managed the challenges of their 23-year age gap which initially caused tension in their relationship.

Fleetwood has been a prominent figure on the PGA Tour since 2018, following his ascent on the European circuit.

Though he hasn’t secured a tour title yet, Tommy’s had a notable career, including a recent tied-21st finish at the Masters, taken by none other than Ryder Cup comrade Rory McIlroy, who Fleetwood holds in high regard. Clare has stood steadfast beside Tommy, juggling his professional commitments alongside their home life.

Their paths first intertwined in 2015 when Clare suggested a business partnership as Tommy’s agent. The professional proposition soon led to matrimonial vows by 2017.

Speaking on the Performance People podcast, Clare opened up about the initial challenges they faced, sharing her “paranoid” feelings over societal scrutiny of their remarkable age difference and hasty relationship, during a heart-to-heart with host Georgie Ainslie.

“It kind of is and isn’t. I mean it was way more at the beginning,” Clare said. “It was kind of not actually for us but it was just again thinking what other people are thinking about all the time and within the industry.

“It was kind of big news in our circle so I was a little bit paranoid about all that really. But not for any reason of our relationship and I had full faith once we fell in love. You know, that was it, baby and dog, we were in.

“And then it was just navigating through the gossip basically. But that was quick because people saw us and knew it meant something, and the people who were the doubters have redeemed themselves, let’s say, and admitted they doubted wrongly so.”

Fleetwood shared on the Fore Play podcast how vital his family is to him: “The whole family – we’re unbelievably close,” he expressed. There’s Oscar and Mo, the elder two, with Frankie being the youngest. There’s Oscar and Mo and they are the two older ones and then there’s Frankie.

“And, you know, honestly, it’s funny because whenever anybody asks, so people that don’t know you they’ll always say, ‘Do you have kids?’ And, pretty much all the time I’ll say ‘Yeah, I have three kids’ and they’ll go, ‘How old are they?’ And I’ll say ’17, 16 and six’. And then you get the look.

“So then, I’m like, well I’m not that old, so then I’ll have to explain that the first two are step-kids which, honestly, I don’t really, I never really think of them as step-kids. I’ve been around them a long time now. Particularly Mo, I think I’ve been a, I guess, a parental figure to Mo since he was five.

“I’m unbelievably lucky with the relationship that we have. We’re so close. When the five of us are together that’s always our safe space and I hope we always keep that.”