Tommy Fleetwood lastly ended his lengthy look ahead to a PGA Tour title by holding his nerve to clinch the Tour Championship at East Lake on Sunday – a career-defining second that noticed the Southport star pocket $10million and shed the tag of golf’s almost man.
Fleetwood, 34, arrived in Atlanta with the undesirable distinction of being the participant who had earned probably the most prize cash on the PGA Tour and not using a victory.
That narrative was rewritten when he calmly holed his remaining putt to safe a three-shot win, prompting an outpouring of emotion as he saluted the group and celebrated with associates and team-mates.
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Notably absent from the greenside celebrations, nonetheless, was his spouse Clare, who has stood alongside him all through his profession each personally and professionally.
Clare, 57, is 23 years older than her husband and up to now has spoken candidly concerning the early challenges of their age hole.
“It form of is and isn’t. I imply it was far more firstly,” Clare advised the Efficiency Folks podcast final 12 months.
“It was form of not truly for us nevertheless it was simply once more pondering what different individuals are fascinated by on a regular basis and inside the business.
"It was form of large information in our circle, so I used to be a bit bit paranoid about all that, actually. However not for any cause of our relationship, and I had full religion as soon as we fell in love.”
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Fleetwood and Clare met in 2015 by his brother.
Clare was working as his agent earlier than their relationship turned romantic.
The couple married two years later and now reside within the United Arab Emirates with their son Frankie, whereas Clare additionally has two older youngsters from a earlier relationship.
Requested about turning down Fleetwood within the early days, Clare admitted: “We’ve acquired a 23-year age distinction. In fact, I turned him down. I used to be like, ‘Don’t be silly.’”
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Fleetwood, nonetheless, endured.
He beforehand stated: “Nicely, she simply ultimately gave in, I believe, and thought, ‘I’ll simply give him a while. I’ll give him the time of day after which we’ll go from there.’ I didn’t mess up.”
In addition to being his accomplice, Clare continues to handle Fleetwood’s profession, dealing with every little thing from sponsorship and PR to logistics and accounts.
“Perhaps generally an excessive amount of, you understand, as a result of then that’s all I take into consideration generally, however that’s simply the totally different dynamic,” she stated.
Fleetwood has credited their shared working-class roots for giving their relationship a robust basis.
“We share a really northern sense of humour,” he advised The Occasions. “We’re each from working-class backgrounds – whenever you have a look at our dad and mom they introduced us up in a similar way, whether or not or not it’s when it comes to kindness or toughness or desirous to be the most effective you might be.”
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Their son Frankie has additionally change into a minor {golfing} superstar himself, charming followers earlier this 12 months through the Masters’ Par-3 contest with a splendidly earnest interview about “working towards as onerous as I can” for his shot off the ninth tee.
For Fleetwood, although, Sunday marked the second he stepped out of the shadows, lastly delivering the PGA Tour win he had chased for therefore lengthy.