After a decade-and-a-half of near-misses, Tommy Fleetwood has finally broken his PGA Tour duck, securing a long-awaited victory at the Tour Championship and ending his drought
Tommy Fleetwood has plenty to smile about now(Image: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood has finally broken his PGA Tour duck, securing his first title and shaking off a record that had plagued him for years. The 34-year-old showed nerves of steel to secure a three-shot victory at the Tour Championship over the weekend, hoisting the coveted trophy on his 164th attempt at a PGA event.
As he sank the final putt on the 18th green at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, a wave of relief swept over the Southport-born golfer, who could now celebrate without the spectre of being golf’s ultimate nearly-man. For Fleetwood, this win banishes a ghost that had haunted him since his PGA Tour debut 15 years ago.
He had racked up a staggering £18.5million in prize money heading into the tournament – making him the first player in history to reach that milestone without a single victory. This unwanted record, underscored by his heartbreaking near-miss at the Travelers Championship earlier this year, was born from his remarkable consistency: 41 top-10 finishes, the most by any player without a win, surpassing Brett Quigley’s 34.
Fleetwood entered the final round at East Lake tied for the lead, and refused to let his grasp slip, finishing at 18 under par ahead of runners-up Patrick Cantlay and Russell Henley, both at 15 under. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Corey Conners, and Cameron Young completed the top five at 14 under.
The victory not only marked Fleetwood’s maiden triumph on the PGA Tour but also clinched him the FedEx Cup and a whopping £7.4m bonus – a deserved prize for a golfer whose silverware count doesn’t reflect his consistency.
“When you’ve lost so many times, a three-shot lead down the last doesn’t feel like that many,” Fleetwood, who had tears in his eyes, joked after the winning putt. “[The fans] are amazing, it makes me a bit emotional. I’m so lucky with the support I get – it’s so special and I hope everyone knows how grateful I am for it.”
It has taken Fleetwood 164 attempts to win a PGA Tour event(Image: Getty)
The success sparked widespread praise from sporting legends. Golfing icon Tiger Woods posted on X: “Your journey is a reminder that hard work, resilience, and heart do pay off. No one deserves it more. Congrats.” Basketball superstar LeBron James added: “Congrats @TommyFleetwood1!!! That first one feeling is something else.”
Fleetwood’s Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose wrote on Instagram: “This felt as good as winning myself! So happy for my man @officialtommyfleetwood for the relentless pressure cooker his quality golf has put him in during these play-offs, and there is no more deserving champ.”
The wait had been excruciating. Fleetwood’s near-misses are the essence of golfing anguish. He came second at the 2018 US Open and at The Open in 2019. He also shared third place at the Masters in 2024.
Fleetwood says he hopes the title will be “the first of many”(Image: Getty)
Even this season, he’s toyed with triumph, holding a three-shot advantage going into the final round at Travelers following a spotless 63 containing five birdies and an eagle, only to stumble and surrender to Keegan Bradley by just one shot.
That said, Fleetwood’s career is hardly characterised by disappointment. A seven-time champion on the European Tour (now DP World Tour), he has excelled in majors and team competitions, playing a crucial part in Europe’s Ryder Cup triumphs in 2018 and 2023.
His silky swing and likeable personality have won him countless admirers, and he’s frequently spoken of imagining PGA success: “I’ve been a PGA Tour winner for a long time, it’s just been in my mind.”
Now, that dream has become reality. No longer must Fleetwood worry about that £18.5m pile accumulated without reward – it’s now the bedrock of a burgeoning legacy. As he put it: “This is hopefully just one win, the first of many. You cannot win plenty if you don’t win the first one.”
