Tommy Fleetwood at all times endeared himself to followers with uncooked and sincere interviews following heartbreaking defeats, now he has achieved so in a joyous temper after successful on the PGA Tour for the primary time.
Fleetwood completed within the top-five 30 instances on the PGA Tour earlier than accumulating his maiden victory, and a US$10 million (A$15.5m) winner’s cheque, on the Tour Championship on Monday morning AEST.
The drought-breaking triumph was understandably an emotional second for the 34-year-old Englishman, and the favored determine received himself extra followers with an aesthetic winner’s speech at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia.
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When requested if he ever thought his first piece of PGA Tour silverware can be the FedEx Cup trophy, Fleetwood replied with fun saying, “no, and I don’t suppose anyone else did both”.
In earlier years, Fleetwood’s unforgettable victory would have been virtually inconceivable underneath the outdated beginning strokes format.
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler completed with greater than double the FedEx Cup factors of second-placed Rory McIlroy, and Scheffler would have been handed a sizeable buffer that may have made him close to uncatchable.
The season-ending event was modified this yr, nonetheless, to a straight winner takes all, 72 holes of stroke play identical to the majors, and virtually each different PGA Tour occasion.
“A pleasant rule change this yr. It’s an excellent one,” Fleetwood mentioned with a chuckle.
He continued: “Like I say, I’ve been a PGA Tour winner for a very long time, it’s simply at all times been in my thoughts and to lastly do it in actuality feels nice.
“Quite a lot of shut calls, however I at all times really feel like I’ve loved the problem. I’ve at all times had wonderful help and I’m joyful to get this one collectively right here in Atlanta.”
Tommy Fleetwood lastly claims PGA win | 03:04
Fleetwood’s reference to the followers was evident all through the ultimate spherical as regardless of Individuals Patrick Cantlay and Russell Henley being in rivalry, it was clear that the gang needed the European Ryder Cup star to prevail.
He’s unlikely to get such a reception at Bethpage Black in New York subsequent month, however Fleetwood was extremely touched by the encouragement he acquired from the galleries.
“I hope I at all times make it clear how grateful I’m for the help,” Fleetwood mentioned.
“I really feel like I’ve at all times been so fortunate and so blessed to have a tremendous reference to the followers.
“There are occasions after I’ve been feeling fairly stunning strolling off a golf course and really feel like I’ve given one away, and to attempt to keep positives.
“To be sincere, the help from folks, and the way in which folks have carried me across the golf course, has helped me immensely.
“I’m eternally grateful for the help that I at all times get, and I did say, the previous couple of weeks once we spoke concerning the help, I mentioned in some unspecified time in the future we’ll do it, and we’ll do it collectively.
“And I really feel like this one is a kind of.”
Whereas it looks like an exquisite ending to a narrative of heartbreak, Fleetwood hopes it’s just the start.
He has now received 11 instances around the globe, however along with his PGA Tour duck damaged, Fleetwood is hopeful of extra success on American shores.
“I hope there’s many extra chapters to go, and that is simply the ultimate one among this story the place we’ve been chasing that first win on the PGA Tour,” he mentioned.
“Once you’ve had as many shut calls (as me), and some you’ve let slip, three shot lead doesn’t really feel like that many to be sincere down the final.
“I used to be actually pleased with how I discovered my golf swing once more down that again 9 after I was getting a bit erratic.
“Credit score to the people who I work with there, and strolling down the final, as soon as I’d sort of duffed that chip up onto the inexperienced and it rolled to about eight ft, I felt okay from there.”
Amongst his near-misses have been an Olympic silver medal in Paris final yr, runner-up finishes on the 2018 US Open and the 2019 Open in addition to a tied third end eventually yr’s Masters.
To lastly get one over the largest names within the sport, on a giant stage, was relieving for Fleetwood.
“It means rather a lot,” he mentioned.
Fleetwood FINALLY claims PGA victory! | 00:59
“I like coming to work on a regular basis and dealing as laborious as I can to compete towards one of the best gamers on the earth.
“And I really feel like each facet of the sport out right here, and all of the gamers, they make you higher and persistently striving to be higher.
“I really feel very fortunate that I get to stroll on the vary and the likes of Scottie can be there, or Rory can be there, and different wonderful gamers that you just aspire to be, and preserve you pushing, and preserve you practising.
“I really feel so proud to have received this event this week, and yeah, simply love that I get to go once more in some unspecified time in the future.”