While a couple of players may have had better years on the PGA Tour, it is hard to imagine that there would have been a more popular winner of the Tour Championship at East Lake on Sunday than Tommy Fleetwood.
The wait for Tommy Fleetwood‘s first win on the PGA Tour has ended. Fleetwood finished three shots clear of Patrick Cantlay and Russell Henley at the Tour Championship to also claim the FedEx Cup title.
Much has been made of the Englishman’s wait for a win stateside. He is 10th in the world rankings and came agonisingly close to getting across the line at the Travelers Championship as well as the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
But those who feared that they would see the 34-year-old stumble once again on the back nine on Sunday would have been left pleasantly surprised. Fleetwood was one under par for his final eight holes in Atlanta to shut the door on the chasing pack.
Tommy Fleetwood explains the impact Rory McIlroy’s win at The Masters had on him
It was arguably one of the most satisfying victories to witness since his great friend Rory McIlroy got across the line at The Masters in April.
In fact, it seems that the drama at Augusta National left a real impression on Fleetwood. McIlroy put everyone on a rollercoaster of emotions before getting across the line.
And speaking to Sky Sports, Fleetwood noted that seeing McIlroy bounce back from all of those setbacks to go on and win the green jacket made a big difference to his own levels of belief.
“The support that I get is off the charts, it’s unbelievable and I absolutely love it. I love the buzz that is out there when I’m in contention and that people have gathered into the momentum that I have been building and it being so close and it not happening. I love the support I have got and they have played a huge part,” he said.
“You know what people are thinking as well. You know there are two sides to it. The supportive side and the doubtful side, the negative expectation side.
“There is all that you have to deal with and I think I have drawn on many different things, lots of different supporters and friends and family. Like golfers too. I think Rory’s story at The Masters. I am nowhere near Rory’s career but I think him winning The Masters this year was a great show of resilience and mental strength and I drew on that.
“So you try and draw on things which are going to help. You stay in the moment and stay present but you know how the tournament is going and you get a sense of things that are happening.
“Around that 15th I made bogey and it was fine. Ball on land was good! And then I think at that point I had a two shot lead. And it’s good you are playing with the guy who is nearest because you can see what is going on. And the iron shot into 16 was really, really good. I would have loved to have rolled the putt in.
“But you get a sense of where the tournament is going and even down those last three it just looked like it was finally opening up for me. It looked like this was the door you have to walk through now but you still don’t want to get too far ahead of yourself.
“And a three shot lead down the last, great tee shot, and I felt pretty good from there.”
Tommy Fleetwood sets his sights on further victories after winning the Tour Championship
The big question after McIlroy’s win in April was whether the floodgates would open in the majors for him once again. It had been more than a decade since his previous major win.
And it is a similar story with Fleetwood. Many will be optimistic that he will not need to wait another 164 events for his second victory on the PGA Tour.
Fleetwood is one of those who believes that the Tour Championship could prove to be the first of many.
“There is a ton of feelings and I think it doesn’t sink in straight away. I have won plenty of tournaments before, I still don’t think I have won my fair share, but this one seems like it has taken a long time. The story has been building for so long,” he said.
“There is a lot of mixed emotions. Very proud of the qualities I have had to show in recent weeks to keep coming back, very relieved it’s done and I have got this first win and I can move on and hopefully win many more. I have always said that I don’t dream of winning one. I want to win multiple and plenty but to do that you have to win the first one.
“And also the story was great, wasn’t it!”
It was certainly a fitting finale to have one of the tour’s best players and most likeable characters bringing the curtain down on a fantastic PGA Tour season by silencing his doubters.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
