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Tommy Fleetwood's life in Dubai after UK exit as Brits abroad warned 'take shelter'

British expats living in the United Arab Emirates, including golfer Tommy Fleetwood, are facing a tense and uncertain situation this week

[Tommy Fleetwood of England]

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Tommy Fleetwood has been living in Dubai since 2022(Image: David Cannon/Getty Images)

Golf star Tommy Fleetwood is among the high-profile British expats whose adopted home of the United Arab Emirates has been caught up in a tense geopolitical situation this week, following Iranian missile strikes in the region in response to recent strikes by the USA and Israel.

With the 35-year-old Southport native not in tournament action this week after opting to miss the PGA Tour's Cognizant Classic in Florida, his current whereabouts are unknown. However, there is no suggestion he is in immediate danger.

Around 240,000 British citizens are said to currently live in the UAE. Amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, authorities have issued a stark warning to those expats, advising them "to remain indoors, or in a safe place, and to stay away from windows."

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The UAE has been the Fleetwood family's primary base since he made the decision to leave the UK a few years ago. The 2025 Ryder Cup hero relocated there in early 2022 alongside his wife and long-time manager, Clare, who is 23 years his senior.

The couple share three sons - two of whom are from Clare's previous marriage - and all are said to be showing a budding interest in the sport that made Fleetwood a household name.

The move abroad has certainly paid dividends on the golf course. Since setting up camp in Dubai, Fleetwood's star has only continued to rise. The world No. 3 secured a landmark first PGA Tour victory late last summer, ending a long wait since first turning professional, and played a crucial role in securing the Ryder Cup for Team Europe.

Speaking previously about his life in the UAE ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in November last year, Fleetwood expressed how settled the family had become in the region.

"My whole family is here, there are so many familiar faces, and the course is just around the corner from home," he said of the Jumeirah Golf Estates, where he has even opened his own golf academy.

"The course has become such an iconic venue for us on Tour. And it's always nice to be sleeping in my own bed again." Fleetwood has also been a vocal advocate for the growing golf culture in his adopted home country.

[Tommy Fleetwood and his wife Clare]

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Tommy and Clare have been married since 2017(Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

"You have iconic golf courses," he explained in 2024. "People watch tournaments played on these courses year-in, year-out and I think people are very, very passionate about the game.

"I don't know what the numbers are, but there's definitely a strong ratio for people playing the game. I think more golf courses will be built. I think more people will take up the game and I think it will keep growing here. So it definitely has a strong place in the world of golf."

For now, the focus for the hundreds of thousands of Brits in the region shifts away from sport and entirely onto safety. As the situation develops, expats will be keeping a close eye on the latest government advisories and hoping for a de-escalation of the conflict.

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