Tommy Fleetwood Claims Maiden PGA Tour Title At Tour Championship

WELCOME

Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the Tour Championship final round at East Lake Golf Club.

We are set for a thrilling final round in Atlanta, with early scoring suggesting it could be a low number that wins it for one of the handful still in contention through 54 holes.

Can Tommy Fleetwood finally get over the line on the PGA Tour? Can Patrick Cantlay rediscover that winning feeling just in time for the Ryder Cup? We're about to find out.

Thank you for tuning in. We will bring you all of the key updates as they happen until a champion is crowned later today.

CO-LEADERS UNDERWAY

Cantlay wiggles his shoulders for a good 10-20 seconds before unleashing a nasty looking slice down the first.

Following on is Fleetwood, who is given a hearty welcome by the huge galleries surrounding the first tee box. His drive is much more successful, landing down the right side of the fairway.

The final pair are underway!

ELSEWHERE

Before we went live, so to speak, Viktor Hovland made a fantastic start down the front nine and has just moved to five-under through 10 holes at East Lake. He's up to T7th on nine-under.

Elsewhere, Scheffler bogeyed the first to fall back to 11-under after going OB (and then sticking his recovery to three feet) while Rory McIlroy is even through eight holes and on eight-under for the week. The Northern Irishman is halfway round already.

CONTRASTING APPROACHES

Scheffler finds the centre of the fairway at the third and duly drops in a dart, suggesting he is likely to knock in a first birdie of the day.

In the middle of the sliding scale, Fleetwood draws his mid-iron into the apron at the first and will have roughly 30 feet to cover within two shots.

Last of all is Cantlay, with the co-leader hacking out of an awful lie down the right. He will try to get up and down from 100 yards or so.

SCHEFFLER RESPONDS

The World No.1 does indeed find the find the birdie at three and jumps back to 12-under. Can't keep a good man down, and he is great.

CANTLAY BOGEY

Tommy Fleetwood now leads alone after rolling his birdie putt from off the green hole high and tapping in for par. That occurred after Cantlay narrowly failed with his 25-foot par attempt. He's back to 15-under with the par-3 second to come.

BIRDIE CHANCES

At the par-3 second, Fleetwood and Cantlay are both safely aboard the green, although it is the Englishman who has the much better chance of making a gain. Cantlay's ball is possibly double the distance and down in a little hollow on the left edge of the green, so this is more like two-putt territory.

HENLEY MAKES A MOVE

Russell Henley takes advantage of the easier par-4 third by rolling in a birdie putt from 10 feet. He's up to 15-under now and solo second.

HORROR SHOW

Oh, Patrick Cantlay. This is a horrible start. From the edge of the second, he doesn't hit his first putt powerfully enough and it tumbles back towards him. From maybe 33% closer, Cantlay again comes up short before missing his third putt from six feet. That's a four-putt double-bogey for Cantlay. He's fallen to 13-under all of a sudden.

FLEETWOOD FIRING

What a putt from Fleetwood! The European drains his birdie attempt from 20 feet and moves to 17-under, two strokes clear of Henley. Just the start he would have been after following that disappointing opening to the FedEx St Jude Championship two weeks ago.

MCILROY FROM RANGE

Like I said earlier, it's not been McIlroy's week. But that's a nice moment for the World No.2. At the par-3 11th, he helps one fall from around 20 feet.

On a side note, McIlroy is playing with Harry Hall today. Might they be reunited at Bethpage Black next month, I wonder?

WHAT A RESPONSE

Cantlay may have suffered a nightmare at the second, but this is why he's world class - the quality of the response. Having found the fairway, Cantlay drops a perfect approach right next to the flag and will likely recover one of the shots he just let slip. He does. Confidently punched home.

Fleetwood, meanwhile, is safely on the green, but roughly 30 feet out to the right.

BRADLEY STARTING TO COOK

The Team USA Ryder Cup captain is cooking on gas in these early stages. He looks sharp and a birdie at the first pushes him to 14-under - within three shots.

After Cantlay secures his birdie, Fleetwood comfortably two-putts and moves on with his two-stroke lead in tact.

SCHEFFLER CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE

After his bogey at the first, Scheffler birdies the third but has just missed a 10-footer for par at the fifth. He is one-over for the day and 11-under for the championship, six back of Fleetwood

THREE ON THE SPIN

Akshay Bhatia is on a charge this Sunday, with the American making five birdies and a bogey in his last six holes. In fact, Bhatia has just made three birdies in a row to get to 12-under.

PARS AT THE FOURTH

Both Fleetwood and Cantlay play great shots into the par 4 fourth but, with their putts, they don't threaten the hole, as both men tap-in for par to remain 17-and-14-under.

FOUR-WAY TIE FOR SIXTH

Bhatia's up-and-down run continues, with the American making a bogey at the par 3 ninth. That is now five birdies and two bogeys in his last seven holes...

Up ahead, Chris Gotterup's excellent form continues, with the recent Genesis Scottish Open winner birdieing the sixth, seventh and ninth to get to 11-under for the tournament. He is now in a four-way share of sixth.

BIRDIES FOR SCOTTIE AND YOUNG

Scheffler hasn't been at his best, but a delightful pitch at the par 5 sixth sets up a birdie to get him back to level-par. He is now 12-under-par for the championship.

Speaking of unbelievable pitch shots, Cameron Young plays an incredible third at the par 5 sixth that finishes mere feet away from the flag. Young follows Scheffler with a birdie, putting him alongside the World No.1.

TOMMY DROPS A SHOT

Fleetwood finds trouble off the tee at the fifth and is forced to chip out into the fairway. Hitting a wedge from 100-yards, the Englishman leaves himself 15-foot for par, but it slides by.

Dropping back to 16-under, Fleetwood leads Henley by a single stroke, with Cantlay steadying the ship as he sits 14-under, two back of his playing partner.

BRADLEY MOVES CLOSER

The American captain two putts from off the back of the sixth green to secure a surprisingly comfortable birdie and move to 15-under, alongside Henley - who makes par. They're both just one back of Fleetwood, who is in the centre of the fairway behind them.

WORK TO DO

Fleetwood hammers a wood through the back of the green at the par-5 sixth but will have a nice lie and angle as he attempts to make a bounce-back birdie. Following him will be Cantlay after the American sent a thumped 4-iron into the back bunker. They're both there in two strokes and can still make birdie, but it won't be easy.

PAIR OF BIRDIES

A couple of quality wedge shots from Fleetwood and Cantlay should lead to a pair of birdies at the sixth. Fleetwood makes his ball come to attention down the slope and rolls out gently to within two feet. Cantlay manages to do the same from the back bunker. Really good from both.

Fleetwood bounces back immediately to reach 17-under while Cantlay returns to 15-under.

TURNING POINT?

Scheffler has made two bogeys and two birdies through seven holes. Make that two bogeys and three birdies after he chips close and taps in for three at the short par-4 eighth. That was needed, too, after Fleetwood stretched his lead.

MISSED CHANCE

Bradley has looked dangerous through the front nine, but he misses a chance to close within one at the seventh. The putt was turning from right to left down the slope, but it wasn't that close, in all honesty. That is a surprise, especially because of how well he's putted for a while now.

SCHEFFLER IS INEVITABLE

Here he comes. Scottie is on the charge. Scheffler's approach to the par-3 ninth didn't even make the green, but he rolls a bomb in from 40 feet to reach 14-under. Like the sun coming up every morning, Scheffler is inevitable.

LUCKY BRADLEY

Goodness me, Keegan. How is your luck? At the driveable par-4 eighth, Bradley's tee shot falls down towards the water on the left but somehow stays dry in the fairly short rough.

Unable to take full advantage, Bradley walks off with a par after just reaching the green with his awkward chip and dribbling his birdie attempt to kick-in range. Still, that could have been a lot worse for one of the chasers.

THREE-SHOT LEAD

Fleetwood was disappointed after finding the fairway bunker off the tee, but he's delighted now after sending his approach to 10 feet. That was class.

It gets better for Fleetwood, too, when he confidently rolls in the birdie to move three strokes clear on 18-under. Driveable par-4 up next with plenty of water, though....

FOUL BALL

Fleetwood wanted no part of the water down the left. So much so, that he's channeled his inner me and sliced one off the face of the planet right. He doesn't need to hit a provisional, though, so it is obviously playable, but I have no idea where he'll be playing from.

Oddly enough, Cantlay follows a pretty similar line shortly after. Only 1 of the 30 players drove the eighth green on Sunday. (Apologies, but I'm not sure who that was).

NO THREE IN A ROW

Scheffler and Young are burning up right now. Perhaps freed by chasing Fleetwood, they have started taking aim at pins and finding the target quite successfully. At the 10th, Young has five or six feet for birdie. Scheffler has four, at most.

Surprisingly, Young buries his chance from further out but Scheffler misses. They're both at 14-under.

ESCAPE ACT: PART 1

Fleetwood has a free drop into thick rough on a downhill lie with water behind and bunkers in the way. That is the stuff of nightmares. With a three-stroke lead in his back pocket, the Englishman gives up hope of making birdie and accepts par is a great score in this situation.

He chunks one back out to the fairway on the left and will try to get up and down from 30 yards or so. The chip is a decent one, coming to rest maybe 10 feet out.

ESCAPE ACT: PART 2

Cantlay also receives a free drop but seems to have a slightly nicer lie. The situation is still nightmareish, though. Water behind and bunker in front.

Cantlay goes aerial and lands it on the green, watching it trickle slightly closer to the hole. He will have a birdie putt nonetheless.

Fortunately for Fleetwood, Cantlay's putt is on an identical line to the Englishman's.

ESCAPE ACT: COMPLETED

Cantlay goes first at the eighth and is quite timid with his birdie attempt, leaving it short. There is no such issue for Fleetwood, though, as he draws his putt in to retain that three-stroke advantage. An excellent escape.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

Tommy Fleetwood hasn't hit the ninth green off the tee all week. Until now. A strong six iron finds the back portion of the green. It's not the nicest position to two-putt from, but it's easier from there than anywhere else!

Cantlay obviously feels like he has to start pushing now and attempts to draw one in towards the flag at the par-3 hole, but it comes up a little short and settles in the short grass between putting surface and water.

BRADLEY HITS A BUMP

The flat stick has been so reliable for Bradley over recent times, but not on the 10th hole at East Lake today. He three putts from 55 feet and walks off with a momentum-halting bogey.

ANOTHER PAR SAVE

Fleetwood dribbles a putt down the hill to four feet but must focus on making a good stroke to protect his three-stroke lead. He duly does and, as DJ Khaled might say, it's 'another one' for the affable Englishman.

MISSED FAIRWAY

The Tour Championship leader can't find the short grass at the 10th. Mind you, he's not alone. Cantlay and Scheffler are also guilty of missing the cut strip at the same time.

Elsewhere, Henley misses a long-range chance for birdie at the 11th while Bradley cleans up for par. The chasing pack, like the leader, are just struggling for momentum a little at the moment.

CANTLAY APPLIES PRESSURE

As Fleetwood wedges back into the fairway to continue his stroll down 10, Cantlay takes aim at the flag from the second cut. He is extremely accurate with it, too, leaving himself no more than 10 feet. We could be about to see a two-shot swing here...

FLEETWOOD FIGHTING

That's a great pitch shot from Fleetwood, fair play. He almost holes out from 70 yards or so, but has left himself with a tricky par save again.

TWO-SHOT SWING

And there it is. Fleetwood over-borrows on his par attempt and it stays high, leading to a second bogey of the day.

Just before he tapped in, Cantlay just about finds the birdie from six to eight feet. Fleetwood's lead is now just one.

CONTRASTING TEE SHOTS

At the par-3 11th, Cantlay ends up in the greenside bunker short of the putting surface while Fleetwood hits the centre of the green and will try to two-putt from 40-50 feet. After a little bit of a wobble over the past few holes, doing the simple things well seems like a good plan for Fleetwood.

CARDINAL SIN

Oh, Patrick Cantlay. You can't do that at this stage. In the bunker that Scheffler stuck it to three feet not that long ago, Cantlay doesn't obtain the proper contact and leaves his second shot in the top of the wall of rough in front of him. The chip from there misses right and it will be an immediate bogey for Cantlay.

LEAD OUT TO TWO

Cantlay and Fleetwood both tidy up from short range and the lead stretches back to two no sooner after it had shrunk from three to one.

On the 14th hole, that man Scheffler makes another birdie to reach 15-under. File that under 'sights Fleetwood does not want to see.'

SCHEFFLER IN THE DRINK

Scheffler makes birdie at 14, but he won't be doing the same at 15 after pulling his first tee shot into the water on the left. That is a wild miscue from a guy who just doesn't do that. Incredible.

FLEETWOOD FIRES A DART

From the centre of the 12th fairway, Fleetwood takes a wedge in hand and drops a beauty to eight feet. Another birdie here would suggest the leader has survived that little storm around the turn and would take him ever closer to that dearly-desired dream.

Shortly after, Cantlay sends a pretty average approach to the front edge of the green. Not what he needed at all.

BIRDIES FOR CANTLAY AND FLEETWOOD

Excellent birdies from both Cantlay and Fleetwood, who gain a shot at the par 4 12th via some great golf.

Cantlay hits a poor approach in, but rolls in a 22-footer to get within one of Fleetwood. The pressure is on the Englishman, but he follows in his excellent second with a clutch birdie putt to remain two ahead.

DOUBLE FOR SCOTTIE

It's been a very un-Scheffler-like round today and, after finding water at the par 3 15th, the World No.1 is unable to get up-and-down, eventually making a double bogey five.

He is now 13-under and out of the running for the victory.

FAMILY STOP FOR KEEGAN

SHOT FOR SHOT

This is becoming a two-horse race between Fleetwood and Cantlay, who match each other at the par 4 13th with their approaches.

Finding the fairway with their tee shots, Fleetwood fires an excellent wedge from 110-yards to six-feet. Not to be outdone, Cantlay puts his second to eight-feet, with both men leaving great birdie chances.

THE 15th TAKES ANOTHER VICTIM

It's a brutal par 3 and, with his tee shot, Keegan Bradley finds the water, all-but ending his hopes of another PGA Tour victory.

FLEETWOOD LEADS BY THREE

Go on Tommy lad! Cantlay is first to play and, with his birdie putt, it lips out on the right-side, with the American tapping-in for a par.

The door is ajar for Fleetwood, who doesn't need an invitation, with the Englishman ramming his six-foot birdie putt home to move three shots clear at 19-under. Five holes remain!

DOUBLE FOR BRADLEY

Like Scheffler, Bradley makes a mess at the par 3 15th and produces a double bogey. He moves back into a three way tie at 12-under.

FLEETWOOD IS IN THE ZONE

PARS AT THE 14TH

The 14th has been tough this week but, with Fleetwood, he plays it perfectly, finding the fairway, then the green, then two-putting for a comfortable par.

In terms of Cantlay, he pulls his approach left but plays a glorious bunker shot to four-foot. He then manages to roll in the par putt to stay at 16-under, three back of Fleetwood.

We now head to the par 3 15th and the par 4 16th, which have been ranked as the two toughest holes today.

FLEETWOOD FINDS DRY LAND

Although he misses the green left, leaving a tough up-and-down, Fleetwood's tee shot at the 15th is dry. It was actually a good shot, but just missed the green by a few feet.

In his pairing, Cantlay plays a great shot with a 5-iron to the heart of the green. It's one of the few approaches to find the short grass, and leaves him a 25-footer for birdie.

ONE SHOT SWING

Fleetwood uses the putter from off the green at the 15th and, understandably, he runs the attempt up the slope 15-feet past the flag.

Marking the ball, Cantlay is up next, with his birdie putt sliding by the left-side. He taps in for par, which is a very good score, let alone under the circumstances.

After watching his playing partner make par, Fleetwood knows the line of his putt, but it's uncommitted, with it coming up short. A bogey isn't a bad score, but his lead is now two.

FAIRWAY FOUND

Cantlay goes left off the tee at the 16th, leaving a tough approach into the green from the rough.

He's in trouble and, sensing the danger, Fleetwood hits a tight draw with the driver that finds the right-side of the fairway. Advantage to the Englishman.

HENLEY GETS TO 15-UNDER

Away from Cantlay and Fleetwood, Russell Henley has continued to show grit at East Lake, making a birdie at the 16th following an excellent approach shot.

He taps in for birdie to get to 15-under, which is currently solo third ahead of Corey Conners and Scottie Scheffler.

SUPERB FROM FLEETWOOD

After an excellent drive, Fleetwood follows it up with yet another super approach. From 170-yards, he sticks it to 15-feet, leaving a great chance at birdie.

To make things better for Fleetwood fans, Cantlay is forced to chip out from the left rough, leaving himself 114 yards away for his third. In fairness to Cantlay, his wedge shot is over the flag, but finishes around 18-foot from the hole.

YOUNG AND SCHEFFLER FINISH AT 14-UNDER

Both Young and Scheffler bring their final rounds to a close and, at the 18th, Young birdies and Scheffler pars to finish 14-under.

They are currently in a share of fourth with Conners, who carded an exceptional eight-under 62 earlier in the day. One shot ahead of the trio is Henley, who is in the first cut at the 18th.

FLEETWOOD LEADS BY THREE

The lead is back to three for Fleetwood, who narrowly misses his birdie attempt at the par 4 16th. He taps in for par and, after watching Cantlay miss his par attempt on the left-side, Fleetwood is now three clear with two remaining.

FAIRWAYS FOUND AT THE 17TH

Only two tee shots remain for Fleetwood and, at the par 4 17th, he stripes his drive straight down the middle. His 310-yard tee shot leaves himself 140-yards into the flag.

In terms of Cantlay, he follows his playing partner, pounding his drive 305-yards down the fairway, leaving himself a similar yardage to Fleetwood.

ANOTHER SOLID SHOT

This has been an exhibition in iron play from Fleetwood, who produces yet another solid approach to the heart of the green.

He leaves himself a 20-footer for birdie, which forces Cantlay to go after it. That he does and, in fairness to the American, he plays a great shot in to the green that finds the top tier. He will have just under 10-feet for birdie.

BRADLEY BIRDIES THE LAST

It's been a day to forget for the US Ryder Cup captain, but Bradley rolls in an excellent birdie putt at the last to finish in a share of seventh at 13-under.

His playing partner, Henley, pars the final hole to shoot a one-under 69, which currently puts him in a share of second with Cantlay at 15-under.

FLEETWOOD LEADS BY THREE DOWN THE LAST

Fleetwood dribbles his putt to the hole and makes the par. Cantlay has the chance to move within two going down the 18th, but his putt is left and short.

Trailing by three, Fleetwood is just a few shots away from claiming a first PGA Tour title and the $10 million first prize.

PICTURE PERFECT

That is perfect from Fleetwood, who hugs the left-side of the fairway and finishes in the first cut. He will have a clear shot into the 18th.

Regarding Cantlay, there's still a lot to play for, with a birdie putting him solo second and handing him a $5 million payday. Stepping up, the American finds the right-side of the fairway, pounding his drive well down there.

APPROACH SHOTS

Fleetwood is up first and, with a 5-iron in hand, he pulls it left but, thankfully, it misses the bunkers and comes to rest on a fluffy lie.

He will have plenty of green to work with for his pitch and, to help matters further, Cantlay's iron hits the downslope and flies over the back. He will have a brutal chip coming up.

BIG RECEPTION DOWN THE LAST

It's been a long time coming but, after 164 PGA Tour starts, Fleetwood will be able to call himself a PGA Tour winner.

Walking down the last, he is greeted to rapturous applause, and rightly so, but he remains calm and relaxed as he assesses his pitch.

AND RELAX

It's a straightforward pitch for Fleetwood but, given the circumstances, he still needs to produce. Thankfully, the Englishman clips his wedge perfectly, with it finishing six-feet from the flag.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD IS A PGA TOUR WINNER

FINAL MOMENTS

Cantlay plays a great chip from the back of the green but, from 10-foot, he is unable to hole the birdie putt. He finishes 15-under and alongside Russell Henley.

The stage is now set for Fleetwood and, despite leaving the putt short, he taps in for a closing par and a maiden PGA Tour title. Congratulations Tommy Fleetwood!

THE WINNING MOMENT

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