Tommy Fleetwood Excited & Not Worried as Favorite ‘Smiling Assassin’ Aids Rival Hideki Matsuyama: ’Loved It’

The ultimate fight for the Olympic gold is on at the Le Golf National. Fans are witnessing jam-packed action every day while awaiting the winner of the 2024 Paris Olympics Golf. Amid this ruckus on the greens, Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, currently tied for T1 with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and the United States’ Xander Schauffele, had his childhood dream come true!

Don’t know what we’re talking about? Keep reading to find out. Fleetwood had a wholesome encounter with Shigeki Maruyama, who is working with Matsuyama at the Olympics. The golfer took to his Instagram to share the special moment with his fans. According to the caption under the post, Fleetwood has been a massive fan of Maruyama ever since he was a kid. 

And the golfer couldn’t control his excitement when his ‘childhood hero’ asked him for a picture. Both golfers were seen smiling eye to eye in the post, the caption read, “So when I was a kid one of my childhood heroes was Shigeki Maruyama, he’s here this week working with Hideki, and he asked me for a picture!! He’s got no idea how much I loved that!! @maruyamashigekijuniorf_go”,.

Shigeki Maruyama aka, The Smiling Assassin, is one of the best golfers in the industry. With 10 Japan Tour and 3 PGA Tour wins under his belt, Maruyama has inspired many young golfers, including Great Britain’s Fleetwood. Speaking of which, did you know Fleetwood’s has performed incredibly well in the first 2 rounds of the Olympics?

Tommy Fleetwood’s performance at the Paris Olympics so far

Fleetwood had a great start to the game since round 1. It seemed like fate was in Fleetwood’s favor when he carded not one but four birdies, two on the 3rd and 8th hole and the other two on the 11th and 14th hole. The golfer finished the round one with a good score of 4 under par. Round 2 at Le Golf saw the golfer’s gameplay nearly at perfection. 

Fleetwood scored one eagle at the 3rd hole and a total of six birdies throughout the round. Lastly, he finished with an excellent score of 7 under par. The reason behind the golfer’s amazing scores is his familiarity with the Le Golf National’s tricks. Having won the French Open there in 2017 and Europe’s Ryder Cup victory at the same venue in 2018 with a 4-1 record, Fleetwood has proved the understanding he has of the course. 

Now, for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Fleetwood is currently sharing the first spot with Hideki Matsuyama and Xander Schauffele with a score of 11 under par, it seems like he will have to try harder to secure the gold for Team GB. Do you think he’ll be able to snatch the wit at the grand stage? Let us know in the comment section below!