Rory McIlroy’s disappointing recent form suggests Tommy Fleetwood’s Tour Championship triumph might not be the one-way ticket to success some are hoping it will be
Tommy Fleetwood’s long-awaited breakthrough on the PGA Tour has sparked excitement across the golfing world, with his first coach suggesting that the victory could “open the floodgates” for more success.
The 34-year-old Englishman finally claimed his maiden PGA Tour title at the Tour Championship in Atlanta at the weekend, pocketing a staggering £7.4million in prize money and clinching the FedEx Cup after a near-flawless performance.
It was a triumph that came on his 164th attempt to win a PGA event, following on a string of near-misses including six runner-up finishes and 30 top-five placements.
Norman Marshall, who first coached Fleetwood and now runs the Tommy Fleetwood Academy at Formby Hall near Liverpool, was quick to hail the achievement as a potential turning point. “He’s now got a deep, deep reservoir of self-belief and confidence. He’s got the monkey off his back,” Marshall told the BBC. “This could open the floodgates.”
It’s a sentiment that echoes the optimism surrounding many breakthrough wins in golf, where one victory is often seen as the catalyst for a torrent of others. However as Rory McIlroy has demonstrated this year, such predictions aren’t always as straightforward as they seem.
Back in April, McIlroy finally conquered Augusta National to win the Masters, completing his career Grand Slam and etching his name alongside legends like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. In the immediate aftermath, the Holywood star, who had chased the green jacket for over a decade, was hailed as entering a new era of dominance.
Pundits and fans alike speculated that with the Slam in the bag, the floodgates would burst open. The narrative was compelling: McIlroy, at 36, had overcome the mental hurdles that plagued him in previous Majors, including that infamous collapse at the 2011 Masters.
His win was a masterclass in resilience, particularly after being dragged into a nerve-jangling play-off against Justin Rose.
“This is the one I’ve dreamed of,” McIlroy said after his victory, his voice thick with emotion. Fans and analysts alike predicted a liberated Rory would rack up titles, unburdened by the weight of unfulfilled potential.
But the reality has been far more turbulent. Since slipping on the green jacket, McIlroy’s form has dipped alarmingly. He tied for 47th at the PGA Championship before finishing T19 at the US Open. He improved at The Open Championship, but could only managed a T7 finish.
Theories abound as to why the floodgates have remained stubbornly ajar. Some point to a post-Slam motivational void – with all four majors ticked off, what’s left to chase? McIlroy himself has admitted to feeling “a bit flat” in interviews, hinting at the psychological toll of achieving a lifelong goal.
Others cite off-course distractions, including his ongoing role in the PGA Tour-LIV Golf saga and personal life adjustments. Whatever the cause, McIlroy’s struggles serve as a cautionary tale: even the most talented players aren’t immune to slumps, and momentum can evaporate as quickly as it builds.
Of course, Fleetwood’s situation differs markedly from McIlroy’s. The Southport native is still hunting his first major, having come agonisingly close in the past – finishing runner-up at the 2018 US Open and at the 2019 Open.
Unlike McIlroy, who had already amassed 24 PGA Tour wins before his Masters breakthrough, Fleetwood’s Atlanta victory is his first taste of PGA glory. He’s an Olympic silver medallist from Paris last year and a Ryder Cup hero, delivering the clinching point for Europe in Rome in 2023 – and certainly has the tools to build on his recent triumph.
“I’ve always had the mindset that I want to win multiple, I want to win plenty,” Fleetwood said on Sunday. “The first one seems to have taken a long time. The next one might take a long time… I don’t know.”
His resilience is particularly poignant given his past heartbreaks, like blowing a two-shot lead at the Travelers Championship in June. But McIlroy’s experience underscores that Fleetwood can’t simply rest on his laurels and expect victories to flow. Golf is a game of fine margins, where mental fortitude and consistent preparation are paramount.
For Tommy, the hunger for a major should provide ample motivation. But the floodgates won’t necessarily open on command. For now, though, Fleetwood can relish the fact that his Atlanta win was a monumental step in the right direction, but the real test lies ahead.
As Marshall’s academy mantra goes: “You don’t lose – you either learn or you win.” Tommy has learned plenty. Now, he must keep pushing to ensure those floodgates don’t just creak open but swing wide.
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