Tommy Fleetwood finally broke through on the PGA Tour with a stunning victory at the Tour Championship in Atlanta — and he admitted that Rory McIlroy’s Masters triumph earlier this year played a big role in his own success.
After years of coming close, Fleetwood held his nerve at East Lake to finish 18-under-par, three shots clear of Patrick Cantlay and Russell Henley. The 34-year-old Englishman calmly closed out the final stretch with three straight pars, sealing both the Tour Championship title and the FedEx Cup, along with a winner’s cheque worth £7.4 million.
Reflecting on the moment, Fleetwood spoke about the overwhelming support he’s received from fans and how he’s learned to embrace both encouragement and doubt along the way.
“The support I’ve had has been incredible,” he said. “People have followed my journey — the near misses, the close calls, the heartbreaks — and I’ve really drawn strength from that. Of course, you always know there are two sides: people cheering you on and others questioning if you can do it. I’ve learned to use both as motivation.”
Fleetwood then revealed how McIlroy’s victory at Augusta, which completed the Northern Irishman’s career Grand Slam, served as an example of resilience for him.
“I’m nowhere near Rory’s career achievements, but watching him win the Masters this year was inspiring. It showed so much mental strength and determination. I took a lot from that and tried to apply it to my own game.”
Fleetwood admitted that in the final holes he began to sense his long-awaited win was finally within reach, but he stayed focused until the last putt dropped.
“Walking down the last few holes, it felt like the moment was opening up for me. You try not to get ahead of yourself, but a three-shot lead on the 18th — I knew I had to take it. It was emotional, but I felt calm enough to finish it off.”
The win comes after a series of near-misses this season, including tough finishes at the Travelers Championship and the St Jude Championship. But this time, Fleetwood held strong and turned the story around.
Even before the final putt, Rory McIlroy voiced his confidence that his Ryder Cup teammate would finally break through.
“Tommy’s attitude and resilience have always been incredible,” McIlroy said earlier that day. “If he gets it done, it will be amazing — and I think we’d all love to see it happen.”
For Fleetwood, it finally did. And in the process, he showed the same mental strength that has defined the champions he looks up to.
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