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Tommy Fleetwood Finally Gets His Moment: Father-Son Magic At Delhi Golf Club
Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Tommy Fleetwood has been having the kind of year that makes other golfers want to throw their clubs in the nearest water hazard. First, he captured his maiden PGA Tour victory and the FedEx Cup. Then he was Europe’s leading points scorer in their Ryder Cup triumph. But somehow, the 34-year-old Englishman still felt like something was missing from his trophy case this season.

That all changed Sunday at the DP World India Championship, where Fleetwood delivered a masterclass in clutch golf, firing a final-round 65 to edge Japan’s Keita Nakajima by two strokes. More importantly for the Southport native, he finally got to experience something he’d been dreaming about for months.

Fleetwood Turns Deficit Into Victory With Sunday Surge

Starting the final round two shots behind Nakajima, Fleetwood knew he had his work cut out for him at Delhi Golf Club. The Japanese player had been rock-solid all week, and turning around a two-shot deficit against a player of his caliber is no walk in the park.

But Fleetwood had other plans. After trading a birdie and a bogey on his first two holes, he spectacularly found his groove. Four consecutive birdies from holes 7-10 flipped the script entirely, transforming that two-shot deficit into a commanding two-shot lead that he would never relinquish.

“I played amazing today,” Fleetwood said after the round, still buzzing from his performance. “I holed some great putts down the stretch when I really needed them.” Those clutch putts came at crucial moments, including long birdie bombs on the 14th and 17th holes that essentially sealed the deal. Meanwhile, Nakajima could only manage a respectable but insufficient 69, watching helplessly as Fleetwood pulled away.

The Real Prize: Making His Son’s Dream Come True

Here’s where this story gets really good. While Fleetwood was battling it out on the course, there was something else weighing on his mind – a conversation he’d had with his 8-year-old son Frankie just the week before.

“We were at home last week, driving the buggy, playing golf together, and he just said, ‘You’ve never won a tournament and I’ve been able to run onto the 18th green,'” Fleetwood said, his voice cracking with emotion. “I was like, ‘I’m writing that down.'”

Can you imagine? Here’s a kid who’s watched his dad become one of the world’s best golfers, win major championships on the biggest stages, and represent his country with distinction. But he’d never gotten to experience that pure, unfiltered joy of sprinting onto the green to celebrate with his old man.

Well, Sunday changed all that. After Fleetwood tapped in his final putt to finish at 22-under, young Frankie came charging across the 18th green like he was scoring the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. Father and son embraced in a moment that reminded everyone watching why we love this crazy game in the first place.

Fleetwood’s Career-Best Season Gets Even Better

This victory represents Fleetwood’s eighth DP World Tour title and moves him from 94th to 25th in the Race to Dubai standings. More importantly, it qualifies him for the Abu Dhabi Championship and season-ending Tour Championship in Dubai – events he wasn’t previously eligible for despite his stellar year.

The win also pushes Fleetwood into the top five of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career. Not bad for a guy who many thought had already peaked. “I feel like for all the good that’s happened this year, a couple of things have disappointed me,” Fleetwood said. “Another win, it feels great.”

That’s the mark of a true competitor – even in a year where most players would be popping champagne bottles left and right, Fleetwood still felt he had more to prove. As for Nakajima, he shouldn’t hang his head too low. His runner-up finish moved him into the top 10 of the DP World Tour’s season-long rankings, positioning him well to secure a PGA Tour card for 2026. Sometimes losing can still feel like winning.

But Sunday belonged to the Fleetwoods, both father and son, in a celebration that reminded us all why family moments matter more than any trophy gathering dust on a shelf.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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