Tommy Fleetwood captured his first career PGA Tour win on Sunday, beating Patrick Cantlay and Russell Henley by three strokes to win the Tour Championship and 2025 FedEx Cup at East Lake Golf Club. Along with his first win, Fleetwood claimed a massive $10 million prize for claiming the FedEx Cup, the largest winner’s sum handed out in golf this year.
It was the culmination of years of heartbreaking losses for the Englishman who, until Sunday, was the unquestioned best player yet to win on the PGA Tour, previously going 0-163. Fleetwood handled those losses with class and became one of the most beloved figures on the Tour. That was evident in the reaction to his win from all over the golf and sports world.
Fleetwood had two extremely prominent fans pulling for him on social media on Sunday. LeBron James, who recently picked up golf, and Caitlin Clark, an avid golfer herself, tweeted their support for Fleetwood before the round and celebrated his win after it. James noted he saw a kindred spirit in Fleetwood, knowing what it’s like to finally get that burden off your shoulders after years of coming up short.
Tiger Woods also watched from afar, giving Fleetwood the credit he deserved for grinding it out despite previously falling shor ton Sunday four times when holding the 54-hole lead at a PGA Tour event.
While they watched at home, a number of Fleetwood’s peers stuck around with the massive gallery surrounding the 18th to watch as he finally captured his first win. Justin Rose videoed the scene like a proud father, while Harry Hall, Shane Lowry and others from the European Ryder Cup team were alongside to greet him after he holed the winning putt.
Rose would later post a pic of himself celebrating the win from the clubhouse as Fleetwood got his trophy, saying watching Tommy get it done felt as good as winning himself.
Fleetwood’s victory will most likely be considered the second-most popular victory in Tour Championship history. Woods’ iconic win in 2018 — with a sea of fans following him up the 18th fairway — will never be topped, but Fleetwood’s win was a cathartic moment for him and his legion of fans who have wanted to see one of the best guys in golf finally rewarded.
Hopefully, Fleetwood let the moment and adoration fully soak in on the 18th green because the next time he steps foot on a course stateside it’ll be the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black where he’ll face a different vibe as part of the European squad going against the homestanding Americans.