Tommy’s Torture: Winning on the PGA Tour is Hard, Statistically and Emotionally, But Fleetwood Will Be Just Fine originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The image seared into memory isn’t Tommy Fleetwood’s missed par putt at the 17th — it’s what came after. His shoulders slumped. His head tilted back toward the Memphis sky. That brutal look for par that would have kept him tied for the lead sailed left, and with it went another Sunday dream. I’ve watched Fleetwood lose tournaments before, but this one stung differently. This was supposed to be the moment.
Another Close Call
For the 34-year-old Englishman, the FedEx St. Jude Championship represented yet another chapter in what has become one of professional golf’s most compelling and heartbreaking narratives. Fleetwood held a two-shot lead briefly on the back nine and seemed finally poised to break through for his maiden PGA Tour victory. Instead, he would finish one shot out of the playoff, extending his winless streak to 161 PGA Tour starts — a staggering number that speaks to both the difficulty of winning at golf’s highest level and the cruel persistence of near-misses that have defined his American career.
View this post on Instagram
What Makes This So Maddening
Here’s what makes Fleetwood’s story particularly brutal: He now has 29 top-five finishes on tour, which is 11 more than any other player without a win over the last four decades. Eleven more. That’s not bad luck anymore — that’s a statistical anomaly that defies logic.
The Numbers Paint a Cruel Picture
Fleetwood’s PGA Tour Record:
- Six runner-up finishes
- Six third-place finishes
- 29 top-five finishes
- 42 top-10 finishes
- Fourth on tour in total Strokes Gained (2025)
- Eighth in FedEx Cup standings
Yet the trophy case remains empty of American hardware.
These numbers tell the story of a world-class player operating at the highest level of professional golf. Make no mistake: Fleetwood is elite by every measurable standard except the one that matters most in the record books. His consistent excellence proves that winning on the PGA Tour isn’t just difficult — it’s monumentally challenging, even for players who rank among the world’s very best week after week.
Why Even Legends Lose Most of the Time
Stop calling Fleetwood a “good” player who can’t get over the line. These numbers scream world-class talent operating at golf’s absolute pinnacle.
Before you question Fleetwood’s mental game, consider this: Tiger Woods — the most dominant golfer who ever lived — won 22.8% of his starts. That means the GOAT lost more than three out of every four tournaments he entered.
Ben Hogan, with his legendary precision and work ethic, won 21.3% of his starts.
Even in Scottie Scheffler’s historic 2024 season, when he won seven times in 19 starts, he was not the winner in 12 tournaments.
Woods’ win percentage (22.8%) is the highest in PGA TOUR history among players with 200 or more career starts. pic.twitter.com/r9q5HZSgU4
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) October 28, 2019
Why Today’s PGA Tour Destroys Dreams
The brutal mathematics:
- About 150 elite golfers per week, all capable of winning
- Equipment technology has narrowed skill gaps
- Course setups deliberately punish single mistakes
- Weather, pin positions and crowd noise create chaos
- One bad bounce can undo months of preparation
The Emotional Carnage Is Real
This context doesn’t diminish Fleetwood’s disappointment or the sting of another close call. When he spoke after his latest heartbreak, saying he’d “love to just go and sulk somewhere,” the raw honesty was both refreshing and heartbreaking.
The psychological challenge of repeatedly coming so close to a breakthrough victory takes a genuine and profound emotional toll. For Fleetwood, each near-miss feels more significant precisely because of his remarkable consistency — being in contention so frequently means every Sunday stumble becomes more painful, every opportunity that slips away cuts a little deeper.
The Pattern of Pain
At the Travelers Championship this summer, he held a three-shot lead entering the final round, stumbled early with bogeys on three of the first four holes, rebuilt a two-shot lead on the back nine, then watched Keegan Bradley drain a walkoff birdie while his approach shot came up short. These aren’t isolated incidents — they’re becoming a pattern that would break most players mentally.
Why Fleetwood Will Break Through
His Track Record Proves He Can Win
Fleetwood’s eight worldwide victories and prestigious European Tour wins demonstrate his proven ability to close out tournaments when it matters most. This track record provides concrete evidence that he possesses the mental fortitude and skill set required to win at golf’s highest levels.
The Consistency Paradox
The cruel irony is that Fleetwood’s very consistency may work against him narratively. Being so often in contention means each near-miss feels more significant, and each Sunday stumble becomes more painful. However, this same consistency suggests that a breakthrough victory is a matter of when, not if — his relentless presence on leaderboards virtually guarantees that the law of averages will eventually work in his favor.
Historical Perspective Offers Hope
Phil Mickelson won his first major at 33 after years of heartbreak. Sergio Garcia was 37 when he finally claimed his Masters green jacket. Angel Cabrera didn’t win his first major until age 37. Golf history is littered with great players who endured extended droughts before breakthrough victories, and Fleetwood’s resume suggests he belongs in their company.
The Bottom Line
Fleetwood will be just fine, and anyone suggesting otherwise doesn’t understand professional golf’s cruel mathematics. His journey serves as a brutal reminder that in a sport where even legends win less than 25% of their starts:
The truth about elite golf:
- Talent is undeniable
- Character is admirable
- Persistence is inspiring
- Excellence and victory operate on different timelines
When that first PGA Tour victory finally arrives — and it will — the celebration will be all the sweeter for the wait. More importantly, it’ll validate what the statistics have been screaming all along: Tommy Fleetwood isn’t unlucky; he’s just playing the world’s most difficult game at its highest level.
Related: The Putter That Roared: How Justin Rose Found His Magic Touch in Memphis
Related: Small-Town Dreams, Big-Time Golf: How a 14-Year-Old from Norwich, N.Y., is Redefining What’s Possible in Junior Golf
Related: Some Golf Course Owners Insist on Destroying a Thriving Industry. The Data Says They’re Dead Wrong.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Read the full article here