Tommy Fleetwood Breaks the Drought and Conquers the Tour Championship
After multiple failed attempts, English golfer Tommy Fleetwood finally tasted victory on the PGA Tour, finishing the Tour Championship with an impressive score of 18 under par. Fleetwood achieved a 68 on Sunday, surpassing Russell Henley and Patrick Cantlay. This victory came in his 164th PGA Tour appearance, marking the end of a wait filled with frustration and effort. Fleetwood took home the coveted FedEx Cup and a $10 million prize.Despite his seven victories on the DP World Tour and three others worldwide, Fleetwood had not achieved a win on the PGA Tour until this Sunday. Rory McIlroy, who tied for 23rd with a total of 6 under par, highlighted Fleetwood’s attitude: “It shows how great his attitude towards the game is, how resilient he is. If he makes it today, it would be incredible. We would all love to see it.” Fleetwood’s proximity to victory was evident. His 30 top-five finishes without a win were the most on the PGA Tour in the last 100 years. Furthermore, his earnings of $33.4 million were the highest for a winless golfer on the circuit. Fleetwood shared his thoughts: “I never really felt it wouldn’t happen. But there are always doubts.” In recent months, Fleetwood came close on two occasions. At the Travelers Championship in June, he led until the 72nd hole, but a triple putt cost him the victory against Keegan Bradley. Two weeks later, at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, he held a two-stroke lead with three holes to go, but he gave up ground, finishing in third place. Fleetwood expressed his desire to win on the PGA Tour: “I wanted to do it. Somehow, it completes the story of the failed attempts.” On Sunday, the victory was less dramatic. After a bogey on the 10th hole, Fleetwood responded with birdies on the 12th and 13th holes, regaining a three-stroke lead. Cantlay, for his part, complicated his opportunity with a bogey on the 16th hole. Fleetwood became the first golfer to win his first tournament at the Tour Championship at East Lake. The world number one, Scottie Scheffler, struggled from the start, making mistakes that took him away from the competition. Scheffler finished in fourth place, tied with Corey Conners and Cameron Young. Keegan Bradley, captain of the Ryder Cup team, did not perform well and also suffered on the 15th hole. Bradley will announce his selections for the Ryder Cup on Wednesday, describing the decision as the most important of his life.It’s easy for anyone to say they are resilient, that they recover, that they fight. It’s different when you actually have to prove it.
Tommy Fleetwood
Since 1963, when Arnold Palmer led the Americans to a victory at East Lake, there hasn’t been a playing captain in the Ryder Cup. Bradley, ranked number 13 in the world ranking, faces the difficult task of choosing his team. Maverick McNealy, who ranked 23rd, commented on Bradley: “I know he will make the decision that is best for the team. In the end, it all comes down to who plays the best golf.”No matter what decision I make, I could have easily gone the other way, no matter what. The only thing that matters to me is that on Sunday of the Ryder Cup we win the Ryder Cup. Then I will know that I made the right decision.
Keegan Bradley
