Tommy Fleetwood wins Race to Dubai season championship
Tommy Fleetwood struggled on Sunday at the DP World Tour Championship, but it was enough to win the Race to Dubai season title.
Tommy Fleetwood was a revelation in the world of golf in 2017. The 26-year-old Englishman won twice on the European Tour, and earned his first major top-ten finish at the U.S. Open. Thanks to that success, he opened a strong lead in the Race to Dubai. Even though it wasn’t pretty, he got some help when he needed it down the stretch and came away with the season championship.
On Sunday at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the top two contenders – Fleetwood and Justin Rose – both found a home at the top of the leaderboard. Rose, however, seemed to have the inside track. Entering the final round with a one-stroke lead, the world’s No. 6 player was cruising, holding a two-stroke lead on the field through 11.
Rose’s wheels came off, however, down the stretch. He made three bogeys in a five-hole run, including an uncharacteristic 6 on the par-5 14th (where he went eagle-birdie-birdie his first three rounds). Suddenly the cruise to the championship was in question.
Fleetwood didn’t exactly have an easy day, either. Making just three birdies on the day, he lost control of his own fate with four bogeys on the back nine. Fleetwood came into the clubhouse at two-over 74, dropping to a tie for 21st for the tournament. His saving grace, though, turned out to be the hard-charging Spaniard, Jon Rahm.
Rahm opened the day tied with Fleetwood, just one stroke off Rose’s lead. Even though he could not mathematically win the Race to Dubai, that didn’t change his usually aggressive style at all. Rahm was nearly flawless, going bogey-free on his way to a five-under 67. He held off Shane Lowry (63) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (67) for a one-shot victory.
Tommy Fleetwood looking forward to more, on and off the course
Fleetwood admitted after the round that it wasn’t pretty, but he was going to – deservedly – enjoy the title nonetheless.
"“It wasn’t pretty today, I didn’t play how I’d like to and it just showed how tough golf is,” Fleetwood said. From 11 and 12 onwards it was difficult not to think about what Justin was doing.“He played amazing for three-and-half days and that back nine showed golf can be a tough and unfair game, but I’ll say it for a while that Race To Dubai champion is very, very cool.“On the course has been great, I’ve played some of the best golf of my career and done things that I’ve never done before. Off the course I’m just such a happy person so we’ll have to think of ways to better this one.”"
Fleetwood and his fiancee, Clare, welcomed a son earlier this year, and are due to be married in just a few weeks. He’ll enjoy some well-deserved time off before getting back into action in 2018.
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With his ascent to the upper ranks of golf complete, Fleetwood has proven his ability on the sport’s largest stage. He’ll need to step it up next year though, as he won’t take anybody by surprise anymore.