No Ryder Cup at Highbury but golfer Tommy Fleetwood might be in Town this Christmas

The Southport star and reigning Race to Dubai champion is a friend of the Highbury boss.

Before Fleetwood helped Europe to a convincing Ryder Cup victory over the USA in France last month, Barton had expressed the hope that this year’s US Open runner-up would visit the club.

But with Fleetwood back on the course for the British Masters last week and facing a busy end-of-season schedule, Barton does not expect a visit from the 27-year-old before December.

And although it is unlikely the Southport native will bring the Ryder Cup with him, Barton hopes the Highbury faithful will give the golfer a warm welcome if he does drop in sometime around the festive season.

Asked about the prospects of a Fleetwood visit, Barton acknowledged the golfer’s hectic schedule but said: “I’m hoping so. He said he was going to do it, so I’m hoping so.

“The only thing with these golfers is that they follow the sun round all year – they are fair weather sportsmen – and I don’t see when they stop!

“It is usually around the Christmas period (when there is a break in the Tour itinerary), so he is talking about coming over to a game.

“I don’t know whether he will actually have the Ryder Cup with him.

“I’m not sure what they do with it but he said he’d bring it, so hopefully he does.

“If he has the Ryder Cup, great. I’m sure everybody would welcome him at Highbury with a nice ovation because he was brilliant, wasn’t he?

“They were amazing scenes.

“I thought it was a wonderful spectacle to watch and I was surprised how good the Europeans where.

“I thought it would be a lot tighter than that but it was a real positive sporting story.”