After open-heart surgery, caddie returns to Tommy Fleetwood’s bag

NORTH BERWICK, Scotland – Tommy Fleetwood’s longtime caddie, Ian Finnis, returned to the Englishman’s bag Thursday at the Genesis Scottish Open for the first time since having open-heart surgery in April.

According to Fleetwood, Finnis had been struggling with an infection since late last year that required surgery and his recovery had gone smooth enough to return to work.

“It feels great,” Fleetwood said following his opening round. “It feels nice to have had a really good round in his first week, for him more than anything. It’s been great. Felt so normal. We did a great job. Everything sort of flowed, really, today. He made a couple of great decisions, so it’s not like he’s been away.”

Fleetwood opened with a bogey-free 65 and was tied for third and a shot off the early lead following his morning round at the Renaissance Club.