Tommy Fleetwood and his wife Clare have navigated the challenges of their 23-year age difference, which initially put a strain on their relationship.

Fleetwood, a top-tier golfer who has been a strong presence on the PGA Tour since 2018 after rising through the ranks on the European Tour, has yet to clinch a title. Despite this, he has carved out an impressive career, recently finishing tied-21st at the Masters, won by his Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy, whom Fleetwood greatly respects.

Clare has been a pillar of support for Fleetwood, managing both his professional endeavours and their family life. The couple first crossed paths in 2015 when Clare proposed a business arrangement to become his agent, leading to their marriage two years later.

On the Performance People podcast, Clare candidly discussed the early days of her relationship with Tommy, revealing to host Georgie Ainslie that she felt anxious and "paranoid" about potential judgment due to their significant age gap and whirlwind romance.

When questioned by Ainslie whether the age difference affects their relationship, Clare admitted: "It kind of is and isn't. I mean it was way more at the beginning.

"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 also shared his thoughts on the Fore Play podcast about the close bond he shares with his family.

Fleetwood has experienced plenty of near-misses, racking up five second-place finishes, and five third-place finishes; the 34-year-old has also finished runner-up at the 2018 and 2019 US Open and Open Championships.

Fleetwood also finished tied third at the 2024 Masters and tied fifth at the 2022 PGA Championship. "The whole family - we're unbelievably close," Fleetwood revealed.

"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."