Tommy Fleetwood’s first PGA Tour win has led to predictions that he could soon claim more titles, but Rory McIlroy serves as a reminder of the difficulties he may face
Rory McIlroy’s form could serve as a warning to Tommy Fleetwood after his first PGA Tour win(Image: Alex Burstow/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood’s long-awaited victory on the PGA Tour resonated throughout the golfing world, with his first coach claiming it could “open the floodgates” for further victories. The 34-year-old finally secured his maiden PGA Tour title at the Tour Championship in Atlanta at the weekend, banking £7.4million in prize money and sealing the FedEx Cup following a virtually flawless display.
The victory arrived on Fleetwood’s 164th bid to claim a PGA event, coming after a series of heartbreaking near-misses, including six second-place finishes and 30 top-five showings. Norman Marshall, who coached Fleetwood and currently operates the Tommy Fleetwood Academy at Formby Hall near Liverpool, was quick to praise the achievement and believes it could be a watershed moment for his former pupil.
“He’s now got a deep, deep reservoir of self-belief and confidence. He’s got the monkey off his back,” Marshall told BBC Sport. “This could open the floodgates.” This mirrors the hope surrounding numerous breakthrough victories in golf, where a single win is viewed as the spark for a flood of success. Yet as Rory McIlroy has shown this year, such predictions do not always live up to reality.
In April, McIlroy clinched the Masters at Augusta National, completing his career Grand Slam and joining the ranks of golfing greats like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. The victory marked a new era for the Holywood star, who had been chasing the coveted green jacket for over a decade.
The completion of the Grand Slam led many to believe that this would open the floodgates for McIlroy. At 36, he had managed to overcome the mental obstacles that had previously hindered him in Majors, including his notorious collapse at the 2011 Masters. His triumph was a testament to his resilience, especially after being pulled into a nail-biting play-off against Justin Rose.
“This is the one I’ve dreamed of,” McIlroy declared after his win. Fans and pundits predicted that McIlroy would easily amass more titles, no longer burdened by the pressure of unrealised potential. However, the reality has been far from smooth sailing. After donning the green jacket, McIlroy’s form took a worrying dip.
He tied for 47th at the PGA Championship before finishing T19 at the US Open. His performance improved at The Open Championship, but he could only secure a T7 finish. It has been theorised that McIlroy’s slump was due to having no outstanding goal to achieve after completing his Grand Slam.
Rory McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam with an emotional victory at The Masters(Image: Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
McIlroy himself confessed to feeling “a bit flat” in media appearances, suggesting the mental challenge of finding new aims to accomplish. Others have blamed off-course diversions, including his continued involvement in the PGA Tour-LIV Golf dispute. Whatever the reason, McIlroy’s difficulties offer a warning: even the most gifted golfers aren’t protected from poor form and confidence can easily come and go.
However, Fleetwood’s circumstances contrast sharply with McIlroy’s. The Southport golfer, who admitted he was inspired by McIlroy’s victory at the Masters, is still pursuing his first major win, having come heartbreakingly close previously – securing second place at the 2018 US Open and at the 2019 Open.
Unlike McIlroy, who had already collected 24 PGA Tour victories before his Masters breakthrough, Fleetwood’s Tour Championship triumph marks his first taste of PGA success. He’s an Olympic silver medallist from Paris last year and a Ryder Cup champion, providing the decisive point for Europe in Rome in 2023 – and undoubtedly possesses the ability to capitalise on his victory.
“I’ve always had the mindset that I want to win multiple, I want to win plenty,” Fleetwood said on Sunday. “The first one seems to have taken a long time. The next one might take a long time… I don’t know.”
Tommy Fleetwood won the Tour Championship by three shots to claim the FedEx Cup(Image: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
His determination proves especially moving considering his previous disappointments, such as surrendering a two-shot advantage at the Travelers Championship in June. However, McIlroy’s journey highlights that other triumphs will not come effortlessly for Fleetwood.
Golf remains a sport of razor-thin differences, where psychological strength and relentless preparation prove essential. For Fleetwood, his craving for a major championship should offer sufficient drive, though that does not guarantee success.
For the moment, he can savour taking a massive stride forward, while the genuine challenge awaits. As Marshall’s academy philosophy states: “You don’t lose – you either learn or you win.”
Fleetwood has absorbed countless lessons. Now, he must continue striving to guarantee those floodgates do open, as his former coach hopes.
