Tommy Fleetwood’s long-time friend and caddie Ian Finnis gained attention at the Ryder Cup after an altercation broke out between Team Europe and Team USA stars
Kasra Moradi Senior Sports Journalist
10:55, 28 Sep 2025Updated 10:57, 28 Sep 2025
Tommy Fleetwood’s caddie Ian Finnis challenged Bryson DeChambeau at the Ryder Cup(Image: Sky Sports)
Tensions have reached a boiling point between Team Europe and Team USA at the Ryder Cup. A heated second day saw Rory McIlroy tell a group of US fans to “Shut the f*** up” after being heckled relentlessly, while Shane Lowry got a fan ejected for their raucous behaviour.
Europe won three of four foursomes matches to kick off the day. And the drubbing continued as they led all four afternoon four-ball matches, resulting in a lopsided score, with the day ending with Europe ahead 11.5-4.5.
One particularly spiky moment came during the fourballs match between Europe’s Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood and the US’ Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler. The British duo were 3 up after 14 holes when DeChambeau’s bagman, Greg Bodine, accidentally stepped into Rose’s line as he was putting on the 15th green, which goes against golfing etiquette.
Rose studied his putt from behind the ball but then, clearly frustrated, stopped and said something along the lines of, “It’s my putt, right?” before waving off DeChambeau’s caddie and draining his eighth putt of the day.
After rolling in his birdie to tie the hole, DeChambeau’s own celebration was subdued. He appeared to take issue with Rose’s words or tone and the pair ended up having a heated exchange.
Cameras followed the players up to the 16th tee, as an animated DeChambeau bickered with Fleetwood and Rose. Fleetwood’s caddie, Ian Finnis, then stepped in to cool tensions.
The pair have become a formidable duo(Image: Getty )
Acting as the peacemaker, the Liverpudlian could be heard telling DeChambeau and Bodine: “Let’s all just chill. Let’s play. He can take as long as he wants.”
Finnis’ no-nonsense demeanour was spotted by fans online, who were left impressed by his calmness in the situation. And we now take a look at exactly who Fleetwood’s 6ft 7in caddie is ahead of the final day’s action.
Who is Tommy Fleetwood’s caddie Ian Finnis?
Finnis is a Liverpool-based former golfer known for his amateur career. He has been working with Fleetwood since 2016, a time when his fellow Merseysider was struggling with his game.
Finnis and Fleetwood met when they were teenagers playing amateur golf in the northwest of England and dreamed of becoming pros. But their paths diverged as, after playing some mini-tour events, Finnis failed to get to the big stage.
He joined Formby Hall in Southport, where Fleetwood is from, becoming the assistant professional there and continued to help teen and amateur golfers. Along with the club-pro work, he used to caddie for teens.
His career took a turn when Fleetwood turned to Finnis, by that point a close friend, to become his new bagsman. The pair soon began travelling the world together after Finnis agreed to join the world No. 7’s team on a temporary basis, becoming his permanent right-hand man after helping Fleetwood rediscover his form through his calming presence, club selection and green reading.
Fleetwood won the TOUR Championship last month alongside his friend(Image: Getty)
Fleetwood has enjoyed great success with Finnis by his side, winning the January 2017 Race to Dubai title, with the former issuing glowing praise by saying it’s like “having family on the bag.” In 2023, Fleetwood and Finnis enjoyed a career highlight when Fleetwood was responsible for the moment at which Team Europe won back the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone.
After several high-profile runner-up finishes and Fleetwood surpassing five top-10s and eight top-25s, they won the TOUR Championship and FedExCup together in August, capping off their biggest accomplishment together.
Why did Ian Finnis miss the 2024 Masters?
At the 2024 Masters, Fleetwood was forced into a late caddie change after Finnis was unable to travel and said he “has not been well all year.” In an Instagram post, Finnis revealed the reason behind his absence.
He wrote: “Open heart surgery done! Massive thanks to all the NHS staff. The road to recovery has started. Thanks for all the love.” Fleetwood opted for local bagman Grey Moore, the former caddie master at Augusta National with 30 years’ experience, to assist him at the tournament.
Who is Ian Finnis’ famous wife?Content cannot be displayed without consent
Finnis’ wife Rachel Brown-Finnis, from Burnley, was a goalkeeper for England’s Lionesses between 1997 and 2013, where she earned 82 caps. Her career included spells at Liverpool and Everton, along with representing Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.
She married Finnis in 2013 and became a football pundit for BT Sport and BBC Sport after retiring in January 2015. They have three children together: Zara, Freddy and Zak.