The burden is gone. The drought is over. Fleetwood is free!

In its 38-year history, the Tour Championship has witnessed several magical moments. From Tom Watson’s inaugural triumph in 1987 to Tiger Woods’s comeback win in 2018, this event’s seen it all. As for 2025’s season finale, everyone expected Scottie Scheffler to show up and go back-to-back at East Lake.

Not this time.

The golf gods had something special up their sleeve, and they delivered big. Everyone looked at their watch, and it said “Tommy’s time!” The almost man became the champion of champions.

With the revised Tour Championship format, everyone had an equal chance to win the event this time. No starting strokes = more drama. As a result, 12 years after making his PGA Tour debut, Tommy Fleetwood finally got his reward.

The title of a PGA Tour winner and a FedEx Cup champion in his 164th start. And a rousing gallery backing him from the 1st tee to the 18th green.

Tommy Fleetwood was always great.

He was always consistent, and one needs a strong case to dislike his personality. However, Fleetwood’s path to victory was never an easy one. He’s had to rebuild his swing several times, adjust his game, and grind through the defeats. More importantly, losing his father in 2022 was a turning point in both his personal and professional life, as the impact of his old man was larger than anything else in his life.

Ever since becoming a full-time member of the tour in 2018, Fleetwood came agonizingly close several times (six-time runner-up), only to end up clapping while the other guy lifted the trophy. All these records are very unseemly. Fleetwood’s 30 top-fives without a win were the most in 100 years. 44 top tens were the second-most.

However, he treated victory and defeat the same, and his persistence paid off at the grandest stage of them all.

Fleetwood led the field in SG: Total (+9.267), SG: Putting (+8.148), Putts Per GIR, and No. of birdies (27) made over the course of the event. which also happens to be his career high. Fleetwood made 27 birdies this week, five more than the second-best, as if 12 years of patience and desire exploded all at once. A performance of a champion indeed.

With this victory, Fleetwood also joins Chad Campbell (2003), as the only golfers to get their first PGA Tour win at the Tour Championship. Read the line again if it doesn’t sound impressive, because more people have walked on the moon, to give you a perspective.

As he finished at 18-under-par for the week, Fleetwood remained humble in victory. Once he sank the final putt on 18th, a part of his life changed, too. With a simmering smile, he embraced his friends and family, one of whom was Justin Rose, who patiently, like a proud brother, waited for Fleetwood to seal the deal — he was actually filming the final putt and the celebration. They are now the only Englishmen to have claimed the FedEx Cup.

While Scottie was heavily expected to win this week, Fleetwood wasn’t. Despite finishing T3 at the first playoff event–the FedEx St.Jude Championship, the elusive win always felt too far away for the Englishman. However, the mysterious drought is now broken, and Fleetwood’s persistence paid off. It is worth noting how Fleetwood’s week began at East Lake.

In his first pre-round presser last Tuesday, Fleetwood was asked what event would be a fitting first win on tour: A Major or the Tour Championship. Fleetwood responded with a fitting answer. “I’m not going to be picky,” he said. You have to take what you get at this level. However, he did speak things into existence. He called his victory; he predicted his triumph at East Lake 48 hours before walking to the first tee on Thursday.

This relaxed mindset helped Tommy stay calm and composed for the entirety of the 72 holes. Of course, there were moments of nerves followed by the occasional bogeys, but he looked sharper than ever. Right from when he made a 21-foot birdie on the first hole on Thursday to the final seven-inch par putt on Sunday to close out a magnificent victory by three strokes.

Now, everybody knew Scottie Scheffler was the unanimous favorite coming into the event. Of course, when you nearly have a 30% win rate for the season, the expectations are high. But Scottie’s putter let him down (15th in SG: Putting). However, yet another spectacular season (5 wins, 16 Top 10s) from the four-time major champion only raises expectations for 2026.

Whereas Patrick Cantlay’s consistency was overcome by Sunday jitters. What looked like a strong bid for a second FedEx Cup title slowly slipped away after a rough start to the final round with a bogey and a double on holes one and two. On the other hand, Russell Henley posted the best opening round in Tour Championship history. However, a two-under-par over the weekend was simply not enough to stand toe-to-toe with Fleetwood, who was in a league of his own.

It’d be safe to say no golf fan would argue against Tommy winning his first PGA Tour title. It was a long time coming, and this win also capped off an exciting PGA Tour season. From the Sentry in January to now, we’ve witnessed numerous memorable moments, and the Tour Championship became the cherry on top of the cake, savored by Fleetwood and his team.

Tommy is now the first Englishman to win the FedEx Cup by clinching the Tour Championship. His first PGA Tour win is now in the kitty, and this only opens the door for more. The future is exciting for the Merseyside lad.

While this win will be remembered for years to come, there is an unwanted burden removed from Fleetwood’s name now. So it is worth asking: Who is now the best player on the PGA Tour without a win?!

— Guest Editor (Arjun Athreya)

Tommy Fleetwood's breakthrough dominated the headlines. Five players delivered stellar performances that completely flew under the radar. Their numbers tell stories worth remembering.

Corey Conners (T4, -14) nearly stole the show yesterday with his final round 62, thanks to this 27-foot birdie putt he hit on the 18th. The Canadian went out in 32 and came home in 30, hitting 75% of greens for the week. His spectacular finish moved him from the middle pack into the top five.

Sam Burns (T7, -13) delivered textbook consistency with rounds of 67-66-68-66. He made 20 birdies against just five bogeys while averaging 309.5 yards off the tee. Watch his near hole-out from 117 yards on the final hole, reinforcing his reputation as one of golf's most reliable competitors. Is Keegan Bradley looking? Burns was asked on Ryder Cup hopes. His response? Straight facts, no BS:

Chris Gotterup (T10, -12) reminded everyone why he leads the tour's power surge with his explosive second-round 63. Ranking 1st in driving distance at 320.80 yards, his rounds of 70-63-69-66 showcased both power and maturity. The breakthrough season continues building momentum after his Scottish Open victory. A potential Ryder Cupper? We will know soon.

Viktor Hovland (T12, -11) entered Sunday six strokes behind, then something clicked. His final-round 63 was the weekend's most impressive comeback, firing seven birdies and an eagle for the day's lowest score. Just watch this eagle on the 18th — after a season plagued by swing changes, this felt like a breakthrough.

Akshay Bhatia (T13, -10) stayed in contention with elite iron play, hitting 69.44% of greens at East Lake, while ranking T7 in Strokes Gained: Around the Green. This 22-foot birdie putt on the par-4 10th during the second round was one of the 20 circles he put on the scorecard.

Honorary Mentions: Other than these five, Brian Harman (T13), Ben Griffin (T10), and Harris English (T13) impressed at East Lake. These performances prove that excellence comes in many forms, even when the spotlight shines elsewhere.