Tommy Fleetwood finally ended his long wait for a maiden PGA Tour victory with a three-shot success at the Tour Championship in Atlanta to be crowned FedEx champion.
Southport-born Fleetwood has long been a household name in the sport and was runner-up at the US Open in 2018, but none of his 10 professional wins had occurred in America.
After recent near-misses at the BMW Championship and FedEx St. Jude Championship, Fleetwood entered the final day with a share of the lead alongside Patrick Cantlay and a solid two-under-par proved enough to clinch the title at East Lake.
The majority of the heavy lifting by the Englishman had occurred on Thursday and Friday with an opening-round 64 followed up with 63 to become joint-leader going into the weekend.
A format change at this year's Tour Championship, with the starting-strokes format scrapped, meant the winner of the tournament would be FedEx champion and pocket €8.5million.
Fleetwood had been fifth in the list behind the likes of Ryder Cup team-mate Rory McIlroy in second and leader Scottie Scheffler, but put himself in contention with a score of three-under-par on Saturday to set up a tantalising opportunity ahead of his final round.
A birdie at the second hole represented a fine start and even though it was followed by a bogey three holes later, Fleetwood regained his composure to secure back-to-back birdies before the turn.
When Fleetwood produced a bogey to start his back nine, nerves looked set to take over, but he kept his cool to send down another birdie on the 12th.
A fifth birdie of the round at the 13th once again opened a three-shot gap to Cantlay, who would soon bogey again to leave Fleetwood almost home and dry.
Fleetwood dropped a shot at 15 and despite Corey Conners’ extraordinary eight-under 62, there would be no denying the popular Englishman.
A simple putt for par on the final hole was followed by Fleetwood letting out an enormous roar as he toasted his first PGA Tour win at the 164th time of asking.
Shane Lowry was the best of the Irish on the day he slipped out of contention for an automatic spot on Team Europe for next month's Ryder Cup.
Lowry was steady if not spectacular, picking up birdies on six and 12 after bogeying the third. His round of 69 saw him finish on 10 under par in a tie for 13th.
Rory McIlroy had a more up and down road, with two birdies and two bogeys on the way out. He had birdied 11 before hitting consecutive bogeys on 14, 15 and 16.
But the co. Down man enjoyed a satisfying birdie-birdie finish to end the tournament on six under, tied for 23rd.
