Fleetwood triumphs at Tour Championship

Stimpmeter · August 25, 2025, 6:00am

Tommy Fleetwood ended an agonising wait for his first PGA Tour title on Sunday, outduelling Patrick Cantlay down the stretch to win the Tour Championship and pocket the $10-million top prize and FedEx Cup playoffs crown.

England’s Fleetwood, a seven-time DP World Tour winner whose 30 prior top-fives on the US circuit included six runner-up finishes, closed with a two-under 68 for an 18-under total of 262 and a three-shot victory at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia.

Two weeks after he let a late lead slip at the St Jude Championship, Fleetwood held firm to finish three strokes clear of former FedEx Cup champion Cantlay and world No 5 Russell Henley.

“I’m just so happy that I got it done and happy with my work ethic,” Fleetwood said. “I’ll continue to try and get better and try to be the best that I can be.”

Tied with Cantlay for the lead to start the round, Fleetwood rolled in a 19-foot birdie at the par-three 2nd.

He gave a shot back at the 5th after finding the right rough off the tee but pushed his lead to three with birdies at the 6th and 7th – firing out of a fairway bunker to 12 feet at the latter.

A clutch par save at the 8th preserved the cushion, but another errant tee shot at the 10th led to bogey. Cantlay’s five-foot birdie at the same hole cut the lead to one.

“I was a bit erratic today at times and I was really proud of how I found my swing again on the 11th or 12th hole,” Fleetwood said.

Cantlay, the 2021 FedEx Cup champion with eight US Tour wins, made a shaky start with bogey at the 1st and double-bogey at the 2nd. He rebounded with birdies at the 3rd and par-five 6th, blasting from a greenside bunker to three feet.

After a two-shot swing at the 10th briefly closed the gap, Cantlay faltered with bogey at the 11th. Both players birdied the 12th, but Fleetwood pulled three clear again after converting from six feet at the 13th, while Cantlay’s eight-footer lipped out.

Fleetwood bogeyed the par-three 15th but regained control when Cantlay dropped a shot at the 16th. The Englishman went to the 17th with a three-shot lead and, cheered on by a raucous crowd, finally closed out his breakthrough.

“When you’ve lost it so many times, a three-shot lead coming down the last doesn’t feel like much,” Fleetwood admitted. “I felt safe only after I chipped to about eight feet at the par-five 18th. This is hopefully one win, the first of many to come. You can’t win plenty if you don’t win the first one.”

Cantlay carded a one-over 71 to finish tied on 15-under 265 with Henley, who posted a one-under 69.

World No 1 Scottie Scheffler, winner of five titles this year including the PGA Championship and Open Championship, signed for a two-under 68 after rebounding from a double-bogey at the 15th with birdie at the 16th. He tied for fourth on 14-under 266 with Canadian Corey Conners, who surged with a brilliant eight-under 62, and American Cameron Young (66).

US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley closed with level-par 70 for a share of 13-under seventh on 267 alongside Justin Thomas and Sam Burns.

The 39-year-old’s consistent form this season has fuelled speculation he could name himself as a playing captain for next month’s match play showdown with Europe.

Photo: Kevin C Cox/Getty Images

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