Tommy Fleetwood blew a two-stroke lead heading down the final stretch of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, losing out on yet another opportunity to win his first PGA Tour championship
Tommy Fleetwood blew a two-stroke lead to lose the St. Jude Championship
Tommy Fleetwood’s wait for his first PGA Tour victory will continue after a crushing finish at the FedEx St. Jude Championship that saw him squander a two-shot lead with three holes to play.
The 34-year-old Englishman showed all signs of finally ending a PGA Tour career-long drought that includes seven runner-up finishes. Standing two clear of the field late Sunday, Fleetwood faltered down the stretch, losing his advantage by the time that he reached the 18th tee.
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Moments earlier, eventual winner Justin Rose added his fourth consecutive birdie to reach 16 under, while J.J. Spaun finished off a bogey-free 5-under 65 to sit one back. Fleetwood’s response was a 5-foot par putt that refused to drop, resulting in a bogey that trimmed his lead to one, eventually ending his chances at victory.
Making par on the final hole left Fleetwood at 15 under, tying him with Scottie Scheffler and one shot behind the playoff between Rose and Spaun.
Immediately after Fleetwood’s exit, Rose and Spaun each missed back-to-back short putts, which led to a dramatic 3-hole playoff on the 18th hole that saw Rose earn his first PGA Tour win since 2023 and his 12th overall.
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Fleetwood gave himself every chance at winning earlier in the week. Opening rounds of 63 and 64 positioned him firmly among the leaders and seven strokes ahead of Scheffler. He then shot back-to-back 69s, Saturday’s keeping him in striking distance.
On Sunday, a consistent front-nine 36 paved the way to victory after just one bogey during his first hole of the day.
Fleetwood shot three birdies in the final seven holes, but it wasn’t enough to compete for a trophy.
Fleetwood’s tournament slipped during the final regulation hole
His third-place finish was his second-best result of the season, following his runner-up at the Travelers Championship in June.
The PGA Tour Signature Event ended with Fleetwood and Russell Henley finishing only one stroke behind the winner, Keegan Bradley, who finished at 15 under par. Fleetwood’s performance was once again erratic, as he struggled during the final round after posting scores of 66, 65, 63, and 72.
He stood atop the leaderboards for 71 holes but sputtered on the final hole with a bogey caused by a pulled approach shot and a missed par putt, once again eliminating his chance to force a playoff.
Fleetwood still earned $1.76 million for his tied second-place finish.
The English golfer has participated in 162 PGA Tour events and is still seeking his first victory despite earning over $31 million in prize money.
