Tommy Fleetwood finally proves you don't need a Tiger Woods mindset to win

At long last, Tommy Fleetwood has his maiden PGA Tour victory. The fan-favorite Englishman won the Tour Championship to secure the 2025 FedEx Cup title, putting an end to his agonizing streak of 163 PGA Tour starts without a win. 

Many fans and media pundits believed this moment would never come for Fleetwood due to his lackadaisical attitude toward winning. The 34-year-old had dozens of close calls in his career, and he would always remain positive and grateful after every Sunday choke job. 

After blowing a late lead at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in August, Fleetwood gave credit to the competitors who beat him out and downplayed the magnitude of the loss. 

"I don’t know, I’m obviously disappointed," he told NBC after the final round. "Again, when you reflect, look at the positives. I was right in there with a chance. It’s hard, right? It's hard to win. There are so many good players. I was next to somebody who was playing some really great golf there. Yeah, just didn’t get it done."

Fleetwood never wavered from that approach. Ahead of the final round of the Tour Championship, he echoed a similar mindset with his first win once again in reach. 

"I'm having the time of my life out there, and I'm playing great and I've got to enjoy it while it's happening," he told reporters after the third round at East Lake Golf Club. "You never know. Tomorrow might be my time, it might not, but I'll still have a great time doing it."

Fleetwood's "whatever happens, happens" attitude is such a stark contrast from some of the greats in the sport. Tiger Woods won 82 PGA Tour events and 15 major championships because he never considered losing an option. Woods approached every competitive round he played as another opportunity to crush his rivals' souls. Fleetwood aims to enjoy his time on the golf course, and he views winning as a bonus.