CROMWELL, Conn. – Tommy Fleetwood is on the brink of his first PGA Tour victory, taking a three-shot lead into the final round of the Travelers Championship after a solid 7-under 63 performance.
Fleetwood has been a consistent fixture in the top 25 for the past two years but is now in prime position to add a PGA Tour title to his resume, which already includes seven European titles and three Ryder Cup appearances.
Fleetwood’s Strong Round
Fleetwood displayed incredible consistency during the round, never missing a fairway and making the most of the favorable scoring conditions. He capitalized on the course’s birdie opportunities and also managed to post an eagle on the 13th hole, which contributed to his impressive round.
The 34-year-old Englishman finished with a 16-under 194 total, leading the pack at TPC River Highlands.
“I’m on top of a lot of stat lines for people that haven’t won on the PGA Tour, so to always be No. 1 at something is always nice,” Fleetwood said with a laugh after his round.
He acknowledged that winning on the PGA Tour is a goal he still hasn’t achieved, adding, “I haven’t, this year especially, I don’t feel like I’ve given myself … I’ve given myself a back-end chance a couple of times this year, but I’ve not been in contention. So this is like my first real chance, so I’m really excited about that.”
Challengers in the Final Round
Fleetwood’s immediate challengers are Keegan Bradley, who also shot a 7-under 63, and Russell Henley, who tied his career-low round with a 61. Both are within striking distance, but Fleetwood’s three-shot lead gives him a solid advantage heading into Sunday’s final round.
Bradley, a Ryder Cup captain and former winner of this event, will be aiming to make a charge on the final day.
Bradley expressed the challenge ahead, noting, “Oh, man, you’re going to have to shoot something at least in the mid-60s, probably lower… When you play a course where you’ve got to make birdies, it brings a different challenge.”
Struggles for Scheffler and Thomas
Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas, who were tied with Fleetwood for the lead after the second round, both struggled on Saturday. Scheffler, who turned 29 on Saturday, had a rough start with a triple-bogey on the first hole and never fully recovered, finishing with a 72. He’s now nine shots behind Fleetwood.
Thomas, meanwhile, had an even tougher time, making a quadruple-bogey 9 on the 13th after hitting his tee shot onto the railroad tracks and failing to recover on the green. He finished with a 73, leaving him 10 shots behind Fleetwood.
Looking Ahead
Fleetwood is in the best position to secure his first PGA Tour victory, but as Jason Day (who shot a 67) noted, a lot can happen in a golf tournament, especially when you’re competing at the top level. Day is five shots back and remains in contention.
However, Fleetwood’s solid game and comfortable lead give him the edge heading into the final round.
Fleetwood’s three-shot lead is his largest advantage at any point in his PGA Tour career, and historically, 20 out of the last 22 golfers who have led by three or more strokes entering the final round have gone on to win the tournament.
