Regardless of who you were supporting on Sunday at the Travelers Championship, it was impossible not to feel for Tommy Fleetwood as the Englishman failed to get across the line at TPC River Highlands.
Tommy Fleetwood will need no one to tell him that he had a golden opportunity to win on the PGA Tour for the first time at the Travelers Championship, with the 34-year-old beginning the final round with a three shot lead.
At various stages, it appeared that Fleetwood had the tournament under control. However, as he got closer and closer to the finish line, he started to make a couple of mistakes.
A poor approach shot on 18 opened the door for Keegan Bradley. And a three-putt from Fleetwood meant that it was the USA Ryder Cup captain who was celebrating victory following his birdie on the 72nd hole.
Tommy Fleetwood praised for what he did after the Travelers Championship
Fleetwood is an incredibly positive character. But even he seemed to struggle to hide his disappointment as the tournament concluded.
Nevertheless, he almost immediately spoke to the media. And speaking on Sky Sports, Dame Laura Davies insisted that Fleetwood deserves enormous credit for being prepared to face questions after such an agonising finish.
“He is devastated. Everything he said is exactly right. Where he put that putt gave Keegan a free read. It could not have been worse,” she said.
“You sometimes get into a bit of a fog when you have got to hit a shot and the wind is blowing and they say they got it wrong. But they got so much right. The shot into 17 out of the bunker they got that perfect.
“But the fact he just did that interview, and was so magnanimous about what Keegan had done, and Keegan won it. What a man. That is just fantastic.
“We have seen players this year blow by reporters and not want to say a thing and they have had a lot less to be upset about in the way a tournament finished, so all praise to Tommy Fleetwood. I was a big fan already but that’s made me an even bigger fan.”
Tommy Fleetwood puts a number of PGA Tour players to shame
Of course, there has been a lot of talk surrounding players deciding not to speak to the media after rounds. Rory McIlroy came in for criticism for not speaking to the press for six major rounds in a row across the PGA Championship and the US Open.
Meanwhile, Collin Morikawa was in a similar situation after the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Morikawa was beaten to the title by Russell Henley at Bay Hill, but did not speak to the media afterwards.
Fleetwood has not only won a lot more admirers, but he also seems to have sent a message to his fellow professionals.
Obviously, Fleetwood gaining more fans will not mean a great deal to him right now. But the outstanding way he dealt with Sunday certainly puts a number of his peers to shame.
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