Clare Fleetwood makes rare Ryder Cup appearance amid age-gap scrutiny

Clare Fleetwood, 57, made a rare public appearance to support her husband Tommy Fleetwood at the Ryder Cup in New York, easing questions about her absence from previous events due to scrutiny over their 23-year age difference. She was seen at the Opening Ceremony at Bethpage Black, joining Shane Lowry's wife Wendy Honner as they waved European flags and cheered on their partners.

There had been speculation about whether Clare would travel to this year's Ryder Cup after she previously said the age-gap scrutiny left her feeling paranoid. In 2023, she spoke on the Performance People podcast about the attention the couple faced, saying the scrutiny was kind of big news in their circle and that she was paranoid at times about what others were thinking, though she stressed it wasn't about their relationship.

Fleetwood, who is eight years into their marriage and has lived in the United Arab Emirates since 2022, has been unusually low-profile in the past. The two were also photographed at the Ryder Cup Welcome Dinner at Hempstead House on Tuesday, as the European team prepared for competition.

Tommy Fleetwood’s own season had been strong, and he entered this Ryder Cup with momentum after finally securing his first PGA Tour win last month. He has spoken publicly about how Clare’s management of his career gives him a full understanding of the sport’s business side.

Clare's backstory and role: The couple, who have a son together named Frankie and two older children from Clare's previous relationship, have discussed their working-class roots. Clare has previously worked as Tommy’s agent and continues to handle sponsorship, logistics and public relations, describing a dynamic that can be a little bit more complicated but that also contributes to their shared life.

In a separate note on their personal history, Fleetwood has said they met in 2015 through his brother, and after a period of dating they married in 2017. He described the early challenges of convincing her given the age gap, stating that she eventually gave in and became supportive.

Clare's approach to life and career: She emphasizes the business aspect of the couple’s choices, noting, I look at one question – it might have 15 answers, and that she sees both the sponsorship and logistics sides of the sport as part of their partnership.

The Ryder Cup, ongoing competition between Team Europe and the United States, has drawn much attention to the European squad's spouses, who typically accompany the players during events. Clare's return to the public sphere comes as Fleetwood tries to help Europe secure victory in the event.