Sometimes it just isn’t your day. Even for the best golfers, success is no guarantee. This is a given when competing at the highest level because every person you compete against is equally as good. But for the best of the best, victory will surely come. And for Tommy Fleetwood, it was just his time.
From Aug. 21 to 24, the PGA Tour Championship was held in Atlanta, Georgia, at the East Lake Golf Club. The best golfers remaining after the tournament’s field was cut down to 30 players, all vying for the major share of a purse worth $40 million. The favored player going into the weekend was world number one, Scottie Scheffler, an 18-time winner on the PGA Tour. However, at the end of day one, it was Russell Henley with a two-shot lead over Scheffler after an impressive round of 61 (-9).
Day two saw little shift in the standings with Henley remaining in the lead, now at -13, although his lead was solo no more. Tommy Fleetwood with opening rounds 64 and 63 jumped up to match Henley going into day three.
Saturday and Sunday are the biggest days of any golf tournament. Two days where even the smallest mistake can derail everything. Despite the pressure, if you can keep calm and minimize mistakes, you may find yourself going home a champion.
And who would know more about minimizing errors in the late stages than Fleetwood. Going into this tournament his exceptional career was blemished by his inability to close. According to ESPN, his 30 top-five finishes on the PGA Tour without a victory was the most for any golfer in the last 100 years. These top-five finishes included six runner-up finishes. And over his 12 year career on the PGA tour he had accumulated over $33 million in career earnings, the most by any golfer without a PGA Tour win.
It had been a long road to his first win, yet Fleetwood always faced his struggles and close-calls with a positive attitude that garnered him a large fanbase. After his most recent close loss at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, he said in a post-round interview, “You know, we move on. There’s another week that’s next and I’ve just got to reflect on today and obviously keep pushing forward and try and put myself in that position again.” Even after a heartbreaker, Fleetwood’s ability to look to the future was met with admiration from his fans as well as his competitors.
Somehow, even though his play was often better than the person who would go on to beat him, Fleetwood consistently managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Heading into the Tour Championship, one can only imagine the pressure that had built up after 12 years worth of close calls.
Starting the final round, Fleetwood shared the lead with Patrick Cantlay, while Scheffler and Keegan Bradley nipped at their heels. After beginning his round with a birdie, his nearest challenger, Cantlay, started off poorly. After nine holes, he was three behind Fleetwood.
Despite a bogey at the 10th, Fleetwood remained two up for the majority of the back nine, with the field continuing to struggle on the East Lake layout. When Fleetwood made consecutive birdies at the 12th and 13th, his victory seemed a sure thing. With a bogey at the 15th, his lead dropped to two. But soon enough, Cantlay bogeyed the 16th to fall three back, and with pars on the 17th and 18th, Fleetwood finished -18, three up of Cantlay and Henley.
Speaking after his round, Fleetwood stated, “You just keep learning don’t you … This wasn’t the most comfortable I’ve been, but I feel like I’ve had a great attitude to ride it all out.” He also acknowledged his inconsistency, saying, “I was a bit erratic at times, but I was really proud with how I found my swing again on the 11th.”
To close out the interview, he said, “I’m proud of what I’ve done before, whether I’ve won or lost. I’m proud of my career and this doesn’t change that. Hopefully this win is the first of many to come. I’m just so happy I got it done and can continue to be the best I can be.”
Now, with his standing as the highest grossing player without a win gone, Fleetwood will look to add more wins to his record. But in golf, even for the best, a win never comes easily. In Fleetwood’s case though, another victory will surely come.
