Tommy Fleetwood as soon as again got here up quick.
Fleetwood, who held a two-shot lead briefly on the again 9, fell aside late and let the FedEx St. Jude Championship slip away on Sunday afternoon. That left the door open for Justin Rose, who made 4 straight birdies late to power a playoff with J.J. Spaun at TPC Southwind in Memphis.
Advertisement
Rose and Spaun went three playoff holes earlier than he lastly sealed his victory. Rose virtually hit his opening tee shot in the playoff into the water, however each he and Spaun ended up two-putting for par. The second playoff did not settle something, both, after Spaun made a very lengthy birdie putt.
Finally, Rose sank one other birdie putt on the third playoff gap to formally seize his win. Spaun had a 7-footer of his personal to lengthen it, however he despatched it flying previous the cup. Rose ended up birding six of his final eight holes.
Rose, who finished in second at the Masters earlier this season, is now the oldest winner on Tour since Phil Mickelson gained the PGA Championship in 2021. He’s additionally the oldest participant from Europe to win on Tour in the fashionable period. Rose turned 45 earlier this summer time.
“That’s why I practice. That’s why I play,” Rose mentioned after his win. “I’ve been saying for some time now, obviously Augusta, when I bring my best, I know I’m good enough to play and to compete, and to now win against the best players in the world. Very gratifying day for me and a lot of hard work coming to fruition.”
Both Rose and Spaun are safely into the sphere subsequent week on the BMW Championship, which is able to mark the second of three playoffs occasions. The high 50 in the FedExCup standings have certified for the event in Maryland, and can robotically earn bids into all signature occasions subsequent season, too. The high 30 golfers after subsequent week will then advance to the Tour Championship.
Advertisement
Tommy Fleetwood slips again
Fleetwood entered Sunday with a one-shot lead over the sphere, thanks to his 1-under 69 on Saturday — which ought to’ve been larger had he not made a bogey on the final and carded a double early. He was very sluggish out of the gate on Sunday, too, and left the door extensive open for Scheffler and the remainder of the sphere after he opened the day with a bogey.
Fleetwood made 10 straight pars after his bogey whereas Scheffler and J.J. Spaun caught proper up to match him in the lead. But lastly, Fleetwood discovered his swing again and took off. He sank a 33-footer for birdie on the par-4 twelfth, which marked his first birdie in 15 holes.
Fleetwood then birdied the subsequent gap, too, after draining a 15-footer. That gave him the solo lead as soon as again. He went on a outstanding run the place he made six one-putts in a seven-hole stretch, too, capped with a third birdie on the fifteenth
Advertisement
But that’s when Fleetwood stalled out, after which he missed a brutal search for par on the seventeenth to fall one again as soon as again. He ended up ending with a 1-under 69 for what was his twenty ninth top-five end on Tour. That’s 11 greater than some other participant with out a win during the last 4 many years, in accordance to The Athletic’s Justin Ray.
While that was occurring, Rose was surging alongside him.
Rose, who began the day one again, went on a tear the place he made 4 straight birdies to abruptly get proper again into the combination. It really marked his longest birdie streak on Tour this season.
Rose had a nice search for birdie on the final, however he simply barely despatched his putt proper of the cup. That arrange the playoff with Spaun — who additionally jumped proper again into it with a pair of late birdies.
Advertisement
Spaun has now completed in second 3 times this season, two of which have come in a playoff. He picked up his first main championship win earlier this summer time on the U.S. Open, too.
“It sucks to miss a 7-footer, but tricky read and pulled it a little bit,” Spaun mentioned of the ultimate putt. “I hung in there the best I could, and he beat me to the hole first. Just wasn’t meant to be.”
Scottie Scheffler completed in a tie for third with Fleetwood at 15-under. Scheffler had to flip to Brad Payne, a chaplain to PGA Tour gamers, on Sunday to fill in as his caddie. Scheffler’s common caddie, Ted Scott, had to return dwelling after the third spherical due to an undisclosed household matter. Payne has caddied for a number of gamers on Tour in the previous, and he really stepped in for Scott throughout the third spherical of the 2024 PGA Championship. Scott left Scheffler throughout the third spherical of that main championship to attend the highschool commencement ceremony of considered one of his kids.
Advertisement
Rose has now gained 12 occasions in his profession. He has 5 top-10 finishes this season, and he entered the week at No. 20 in the Official World Golf Rankings. He fought his method into a playoff at Augusta National earlier this season, but he fell to Rory McIlroy.
Fleetwood has been a dominant power on the world stage for years. He’s been a staple on the European Ryder Cup group and has gained seven occasions on the DP World Tour. He entered this week at No. 15 in the OWGR, too. But the 34-year-old Englishman simply couldn’t break by means of in the United States. He’s had 5 top-10 finishes this season on Tour and he completed T2 on the Travelers Championship earlier this summer time. That was the sixth runner-up end of his profession, too, two of which have come at main championships.
With how he is enjoying, Fleetwood is certain to break by means of on Tour sooner or later. But with how tough Sunday’s end was, it is unclear when that may really occur.
“I’m obviously going to be disappointed,” Fleetwood mentioned. “I said last time, there’s a lot of positives to take … I won’t feel like that right now.”