Q. How good does it feel to have that winning feeling again?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, it's great, that winning feeling is amazing, and it's been a really cool week. Felt like I played better and better throughout the week. Had a great day yesterday, and then today, playing with Rory and coming down the stretch in contention and trying to win a golf tournament was really, really cool. It's been nice being back in Dubai for the start of year.
Q. Does it make it more special, knowing that you had a Sunday showdown with Rory?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It's always very special when you play with one of your friends, one of the best players in the world. Challenging yourself against those guys, like I said just before, Rory's been a very, very supportive influence on me over the past, since I've been him, really, but since we've been close. I've watched him do amazing things down the stretch in golf tournaments, and today was my turn.
But yeah, being out there with him, somebody you're comfortable with and somebody that you can really strive to achieve half of what he's done in his career is great, and yeah, that's what we want to do as players, play against the best players in the world and see how your game holds up.
Q. It was a pretty dramatic back nine after a slow-ish start from yourself on the front nine, with everything going on and Thriston started making a move. What was your mindset on the back nine?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I was playing really, really well. The front nine in particular, there were times when it was frustrating. I actually putted well on the front nine, and I lipped-out a couple of times with good putts that I slightly misread.
But overall I was playing very, very good, and I sort of, even after 10, felt like I was playing well enough to kick on but didn't. So it was just a case of staying patient.
Rory played amazing on the back nine. He played so aggressive. He made so many birdies. Especially after 16, starting on the 17th tee, it was frustrating to then all of a sudden be one behind when you're led all day.
But happy with how I sort of trusted myself. Happy with my attitude on something that's very important, and yeah, just the last two holes, it came down to those and to finish those birdie, birdie feels great.
I'm just happy with how I handled myself all day, really.
Q. You talked about the attitude. How important was it to play in the moment, as well, over the last few holes?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, one of of the hardest things to do. I think the closer you get to the finishing line, it's easy to predict things and easy to tell yourself what you might do, what others might do.
Like I said I was playing pretty solid. I even hit a pretty good iron shot into 16 and seems like it took a firm bounce and went over the back, and my short game which had been so good all week, just bit of a clumsy chip and missed the cut. Keep playing and keep going.
I've had plenty of times where somebody has finished well against me when I've not quite done enough and today was my turn to walk through the door today. It was just one of those things. You learn every time you play, good, bad, whatever it is, you always should learn every time you play. The more you put yourself in these positions, you keep figuring out who you want to be as a player when you're out there, what attitude you want to have, how you want to play, and just work toward that, and today was a good day for me.
Q. We know momentum is key in the professional game. For you starting the season out with a win, what do you think it can do for your confidence moving forward?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Winning, it's important. It's a great feeling. Gives you confidence to know that you can do it the next time you're in contention, as well. I think again, I said it before, if I win, lose or draw today, I've been doing the right things for a while now and I've been building on a lot of consistency. Whatever happens today is going to work out tomorrow. I'm going to do the same things and keep building and keep building and keeping building, and that's what's important to me.
But winning, it's important wherever you are in the world, that winning feeling. You get a sniff of that, and you keep pushing towards that. And it feels great to start the year with a win again.
Q. New pad in Dubai and trophy to go along with; it must be nice.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, it was pretty empty before this one. So it's nice to get one in there, and hopefully we can add some more to it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports