Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi aims to be 'as close to Ryder Cup as possible', says Fleetwood

Hero Cup captain Tommy Fleetwood said the new team event in Abu Dhabi will replicate the Ryder Cup as closely as possible and will be taken “very seriously” by the players.

Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari, who earned the nickname ‘Moliwood’ after winning all four of their matches together at the 2018 Ryder Cup, are on opposite sides at Abu Dhabi Golf Club as playing captains of Great Britain and Ireland and Europe respectively.

The contest effectively fills the gap left by the Seve Trophy, which was held eight times between 2000 and 2013 and gave captaincy experience to future Ryder Cup skippers Colin Montgomerie, Jose Maria Olazabal, Nick Faldo, Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn.

Current Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is overseeing the event and the record 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits in 2021 means no-one involved is treating it lightly.

“It is very serious,” Fleetwood told a pre-event press conference. “If you apply yourself properly in this event, I think it holds you in high regard for the Ryder Cup.

“I remember we had the EurAsia Cup in 2018 and I had a particularly good tournament there (winning all three matches) and Europe won, but I remember Thomas (Bjorn) was the captain and everything you do, they keep a very close eye on for the captains in September.

“When you play in these team events and when you play in the Ryder Cup a big part of it is how you play, but that’s not everything that you can give to the team. There’s attitude, there’s motivation, there’s the way you are with your teammates.

“I think from the stats side, from Luke’s side, for the vice-captains, for myself and Fran to the players, we are making it as close to the Ryder Cup as possible.

“It’s a hugely important event for us all, this event in