Key Takeaways
- Tommy Fleetwood finally came out victorious on Sunday, winning the Tour Championship by three shots.
- Brooke Henderson also made history North of the border, claiming the grand prize in the CPKC Open for the third time.
- RG's Brendon Elliott breaks down all the action in his latest instalment of “The Starter".
Brooke Henderson after winning the CPKC Women's Open (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
In this week's 'The Starter,' PGA professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, gives his thoughts on Tommy Fleetwood finally breaking through at East Lake, the Ryder Cup picture taking shape, and everything else from the week that was in golf.
PGA TOUR: When 163 Tries Finally Pays Off
Tommy Fleetwood has been golf's most beloved nearly man for years. Thirty top-five finishes without a PGA Tour win. Six runner-up finishes that stung worse each time. The kind of heartbreak that would break most players.
Not Fleetwood.
The Englishman finally got his moment Sunday at East Lake, closing with a 68 to win the Tour Championship by three shots and claim the FedEx Cup. At 34 years, 7 months, and 5 days, he became the 13th first-time winner on tour this season.
"I've been a PGA Tour winner for a long time, it's just always been in my mind," Fleetwood said afterward, and you could hear the relief bleeding through those words.
This wasn't just any breakthrough. Fleetwood picked the perfect time to get it done, earning $10 million for the FedEx Cup victory and a five-year tour exemption. He led the field in putting, gaining more than eight strokes on the greens across four rounds. When your putter gets hot at East Lake, magical things happen.
The most impressive part? Fleetwood never lost his composure despite some serious pressure. Patrick Cantlay started the final round tied for the lead but immediately stumbled with a bogey-double bogey to open his round. Scottie Scheffler hit his opening tee shot out of bounds but still mounted a charge until finding water on the 15th hole.
Through it all, Fleetwood stayed steady. He posted all 12 rounds of the FedEx Cup playoffs in the 60s, including four rounds of 64 or better. That's the kind of consistency that wins big tournaments.
The victory moves Fleetwood to a career-high No. 6 in the world rankings and makes him the second FedEx Cup champion from England, joining Justin Rose from 2018.
Scheffler's Bid For Back-to-Back FedEx Cups Falls Short
Scottie Scheffler's bid to become the first back-to-back FedEx Cup champion fell short, but his final-round 68 extended one of the most remarkable streaks in modern golf. His 21st consecutive round in the 60s tied Patrick Cantlay's record, capping a season that included five wins and two major championships.
The world No. 1 gave himself every chance Sunday despite that opening tee shot sailing out of bounds. He made three birdies in four holes on the front nine, including a 40-foot bomb on the ninth. But golf's cruelest holes got him in the end.
The 15th at East Lake is a 218-yard par-3 to a peninsula green that has crushed dreams for decades. Scheffler's 5-iron started left and never came back, finding water for a double bogey that effectively ended his chances.
"I battled all week to give myself a chance," Scheffler said. "Just needed a few better swings."
Even in defeat, Scheffler's consistency remains staggering. This marked his 14th straight top-eight finish, the longest such streak since Ben Hogan in the 1950s. The man simply doesn't know how to play poorly.
Ryder Cup Drama Ahead
The automatic qualifiers for both Ryder Cup teams are now set, and the storylines are already writing themselves for Bethpage Black in September.
Team USA's six automatic qualifiers present few surprises: Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, and Bryson DeChambeau. The inclusion of DeChambeau marks his return to the team after his LIV Golf departure, while Henley finally gets his first Ryder Cup appearance at age 36.
But the real drama surrounds captain Keegan Bradley, who finished seventh at the Tour Championship and sits 10th in the qualification standings. The idea of a playing captain hasn't happened since Arnold Palmer in 1963, but Bradley's strong play this season makes it a legitimate possibility.
"It's going to be pretty wild," Bradley said about his decision. "Whatever decision we make, we're going to have to live with it."
The European side brings its own intrigue. Tommy Fleetwood's breakthrough victory couldn't have come at a better time, giving Luke Donald a FedEx Cup champion for his squad. Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and Tyrrell Hatton provide veteran leadership, while Robert MacIntyre and Rasmus Hojgaard add fresh blood.
The picks will be announced on Wednesday for Team USA and Sept. 1 for Europe, setting up what promises to be a raucous affair on Long Island.
LPGA: Henderson's Emotional Homecoming
While the men battled at East Lake, Brooke Henderson was writing her own comeback story north of the border. The Canadian star won her second CPKC Women's Open title Sunday, beating Minjee Lee by a stroke at Mississauga Golf and Country Club.
Henderson's victory was two years in the making. Her last LPGA win came in January 2023, and this season had been particularly frustrating before she arrived in Ontario. But something clicked on the tree-lined layout that reminded her of courses from her youth.
"This year has not gone very well up to this point, and it just feels like this was meant to be," Henderson said.
The final round turned into a match-play battle between Henderson and Lee, with both players trading shots throughout the day. The turning point came at the 14th hole, where Henderson drained a 6-foot birdie putt to break a tie for the lead.
Lee, the world No. 4 who won the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June, pushed Henderson to the very end. On the short par-4 17th, Lee rolled in a 13-foot birdie putt, only to watch Henderson answer with a 12-footer of her own to maintain her lead.
The victory was Henderson's 14th LPGA title and moved her one step closer to matching Sandra Post's record of eight Canadian wins by a Canadian. More importantly, it proved that class is permanent, even when form is temporary.
Looking Ahead
Golf's biggest stories often write themselves in the margins. Fleetwood's breakthrough reminds us that persistence pays off, even when it takes 163 tries. Scheffler's dominance continues to redefine excellence in the modern game. Henderson's homecoming victory shows that sometimes the stars align exactly when you need them most.
The Ryder Cup picks will dominate headlines this week, but the real story is already clear: September at Bethpage Black is going to be special.
