In the days leading up to the Tour Championship, Tommy Fleetwood joked it would be “funny” if he were to win the $10 million winner’s cheque… and also the FedEx Cup champion title under the new 72-hole stroke play format. Humor aside, the thought carried some weight. Twice this season, Fleetwood squandered 54-hole leads, and along the way, he picked up an odd distinction: earning the most prize money in the U.S. without a single win. It was a quirky record, but one that showed his frustration. With victory slipping through his hands so often, Fleetwood couldn’t be certain if he would finally get it done at the Tour Championship.

The golfer looked visibly nervous. But after waiting 11 years for a victory in the US, Fleetwood finally got the job done on his 164th start on the PGA Tour. “When you’ve lost so many times, a three-shot lead down the last doesn’t feel like that many,” he said after claiming victory. He had tears in his eyes. With that, Fleetwood became the first player in the FedEx Cup era to claim his breakthrough PGA Tour title at the Tour Championship.

His journey has been inspiring, even for someone like Tiger Woods. Woods took to X and wrote: “Your journey is a reminder that hard work, resilience, and heart do pay off. No one deserves it more. Congrats @TommyFleetwood1!”

In 2025, Tommy Fleetwood delivered some of the best golf of his career with seven top-10 finishes, highlighted by a heartbreaking runner-up at the Travelers Championship, just one shot behind Keegan Bradley. He carried that momentum into the FedExCup Playoffs, finishing T-3 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and T-4 at the BMW Championship. In fact, before the Tour Championship, he had stated: “The more I put myself there, the more chance there is of it happening, and just go out and keep learning from every experience. But tomorrow might be my day, it might not, but being there is the most important thing, and I’ll continue to try and do that.”

That resilience turned near-misses into fuel, culminating in his victory.

Fleetwood began tied with Patrick Cantlay, but after Cantlay stumbled with a bogey-double start, Fleetwood took control. Cantlay briefly cut the lead to one on the 10th, but Fleetwood responded with back-to-back birdies to pull away. Surviving a tense moment at the 15th with just a bogey, he closed strong to finish at 18-under 262 with a final-round 68.

As Fleetwood walked onto the 18th green and holed the winning putt, the East Lake crowd erupted, chanting, “Tommy! Tommy! Tommy!” The 34-year-old from England removed his cap, looked up at the cloudy sky, and let out a triumphant yell. After years of near misses on the PGA TOUR, this was finally his moment. “This is hopefully just one win, the first of many. You cannot win plenty if you don’t win the first one,” he said.

Although Fleetwood had already claimed eight victories worldwide and won an Olympic silver medal, a PGA TOUR title had long eluded him. He earned it through resilience, patience, and perseverance, ultimately transforming years of experience and hard work into victory.

Interesting Fact: On August 24, 2025, Tommy Fleetwood became the second Englishman, after Justin Rose in 2018, to win the FedEx Cup by capturing the Tour Championship.

Golf’s biggest names applaud Tommy Fleetwood’s first PGA Tour win

After Fleetwood’s victory, Justin Rose took to social media and wrote, “This felt as good as winning myself! So happy for my man @TommyFleetwood1 for enduring the relentless pressure cooker his quality golf has put him in during these playoffs and there is no more deserving champ.”

And Rose is correct. Not just because Fleetwood deserved the win, but also because he still had his close friend Ian Finnis on the bag for the biggest victory of his career. Finnis has been beside him through the highs and lows of the sport. When the caddie first came on board, it was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, but he soon became an important part of Fleetwood’s career.

Since working together, they have recorded seven DP World Tour wins, landed the 2017 Race To Dubai, and Fleetwood was also close to winning the 2017 and 2018 US Open and the 2019 Open Championship. Now, they have their first PGA Tour victory together, and Finnis was a part of the reason why the Englishman stood strong despite several heartbreaks.

Fellow PGA Tour player Billy Horschel shared, “Take a bow, Tommy! You deserve it for how you have handled everything over the years to get to this point. 👏👏 #FedExCupChamp.” Horschel’s words highlighted the respect Fleetwood commands among his peers for staying composed through years of close calls.

Golf influencer Paige Spiranac also celebrated the milestone, noting, “Fleetwood’s ability to keep going after heartbreaks earlier this season is inspiring. Finally seeing him lift a PGA Tour trophy is what perseverance looks like!” Her praise framed Fleetwood’s win as a story of patience and determination, one that resonated well beyond the leaderboard. To top it all off, he pocketed $10 million for the win, and this could open doors to bigger opportunities, greater recognition, and a stronger place among golf’s elite.