Fleetwood wins Tour Championship for first PGA Tour title - ESPN

ATLANTA — Tommy Fleetwood's long nightmare is over.

After so many near misses, the English golfer finally picked up his first PGA Tour victory Sunday after posting a 2-under 68 to finish 18 under in the Tour Championship, three strokes ahead of Russell Henley and Patrick Cantlay at East Lake Golf Club.

It was Fleetwood's 164th career start on the PGA Tour and his long wait, though agonizingly painful and frustrating at times, was well worth it. He collected the FedEx Cup and $10 million for winning.

Fleetwood, 34, had won seven times on the DP World Tour and three other times around the world, but he had yet to lift a trophy in a PGA Tour event — until Sunday.

«I think it shows how great of an attitude he has towards the game, how resilient he is,» Rory McIlroy said after posting an even-par 70 to tie for 23rd at 6 under. «If he gets it done today, that would be amazing. I think we'd all love him to.»

It's not that Fleetwood wasn't close. His 30 top-five finishes without a victory were the most on the PGA Tour in the past 100 years, according to ESPN Research. His $33.4 million in career earnings were the most for a golfer who hadn't won on tour.

Two of Fleetwood's close calls came in the past two months. At the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, on June 22, he had a one-shot lead going into the 72nd hole but three-putted and lost to Keegan Bradley by one.

«I'm upset now,» Fleetwood said at the time. «I'm angry.… It hurts.»

At the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis two weeks ago, Fleetwood had a two-shot lead with three holes to play in the first leg of the playoffs. He went 1 over down the stretch. Justin Rose beat J.J. Spaun in a playoff, while Fleetwood tied for third.

It wasn't nearly as dramatic