Tommy Fleetwood Captures Maiden PGA Tour Win and FedEx Cup Title at Tour Championship
English golfer Tommy Fleetwood secured his inaugural PGA Tour victory and the FedEx Cup playoffs title on Sunday, carding a 2-under 68 in the final round at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. The 34-year-old finished 18-under for the tournament to pocket a $10 million prize.
With a three-stroke lead heading into the final hole, Fleetwood knew his long-awaited triumph was imminent. His approach shot landed just left of the green, and a subsequent chip put him eight feet from the hole. Although his birdie putt fell slightly short, he tapped it in to seal the victory he had dreamed of for so long.
Upon being asked if he anticipated winning at the Tour Championship, Fleetwood responded, “No, and I don’t think anyone else did either.” He expressed his relief and satisfaction during an interview with NBC, holding the FedEx Cup trophy, stating, “I’ve been a PGA Tour winner for a long time, but it’s just always been in my mind. And finally doing it in reality feels great… I’ve always had amazing support and happy to get this one here in Atlanta.”
Entering the week, Fleetwood ranked fifth in the FedEx Cup standings, making him the highest-ranked player without a win this season, according to the Tour. The victory makes him the 18th Englishman to claim a Tour title and the second to be crowned as the FedExCup champion, following Justin Rose’s triumph in 2018.
In addition to the FedEx Cup trophy, Fleetwood took home the “Calamity Jane” replica putter for his first win. His achievement garnered widespread praise on social media from prominent athletes such as Tiger Woods and LeBron James.
“Your journey is a reminder that hard work, resilience, and heart do pay off. No one deserves it more. Congrats @TommyFleetwood1!,” tweeted Woods. Meanwhile, James posted, “Congrats @TommyFleetwood1!!! That first one feeling is something else! Especially after dealing with adversity and shortcomings.”
American golfers Russell Henley and Patrick Cantlay finished tied for second place at 15-under par. Initially tied with Cantlay for the lead, Fleetwood struggled with a bogey-double bogey on his opening holes. However, he managed to maintain his lead thereafter.
World No. 23 Scheffler posed a constant threat despite some unusual mistakes. The 29-year-old began with an out-of-bounds tee shot but recovered by birdieing four of his first nine holes on the day. He remained in contention until his tee shot on the 15th hole found the water, resulting in a double-bogey.
Scheffler ended up in a three-way tie for fourth place at 14-under par along with Corey Conners and Cameron Young. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley finished in a tie for seventh at 13-under for the weekend.