Keegan Bradley, Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay? Just when Tommy Fleetwood looked to have a firm grip on this Tour Championship, Cantlay emerged from the shadows in a bid to become the third member of the US Ryder Cup contingent in the course of this season to deny Fleetwood the win he is long overdue on American soil.
It feels poetic that Cantlay was front and centre as Fleetwood and Europe triumphed over the US in Rome two years ago. If it is to be Tommy’s time, he will have to scrap for it. Cantlay might be in his home country but so many of the Atlanta gallery will root for the hugely popular Fleetwood on day four.
Cantlay birdied four of his last five holes at East Lake to produce a back nine of 31 in an overall 64. Cantlay’s 16 under par topped Fleetwood until the Southport golfer rolled in a birdie putt from 10ft at the 17th. Fleetwood’s 67 meant he is tied at the leaderboard summit with Cantlay, 18 holes from home.
Fleetwood rattled off four birdies in succession from the fifth to endorse the sense this is finally his American time. East Lake jabbed back at the 15th, where Fleetwood found water from the tee before slipping to a double-bogey five. Fleetwood’s response was excellent, courtesy of shots collected at the 16th and 17th before his fairway wood to the last drifted into a greenside bunker. Sixteen under plays 16 under. There is a two-shot gap to Russell Henley in third.
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“You want to be in the final group on Sunday or you want to be in contention,” said Fleetwood. “I love the fact that I’m playing so well. I love the fact that I’m getting rewarded for my work by being in this position. Because we all grind so hard, we all practise so hard, but it’s been so long where you don’t get out of it what you put in. Golf just isn’t like that.
“I love that I’m up there again, and it’s just another chance. It’s another opportunity. It’s another day where I get to go out and do what I love and enjoy it and be in contention and just go and hit the golf shots. We’re trying to win a golf tournament and do something very special.”
Cantlay has already virtually assured he will be a Ryder Cup captain’s pick on Wednesday but glory here would further justify that position. Bradley’s upcoming Ryder Cup decision is getting harder by the day. The US captain, who must choose whether or not he also wants to play at Bethpage, posted a 63 to leap to 13 under.
Strange though it may seem for a qualifying process which lasts two years, Bradley’s final-day performance feels hugely significant. Should he win or even come close to claiming the Tour Championship, he is surely set to become the first playing captain in the Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer in 1963.
“I caught myself on the range today thinking about something I wanted to tell the team at Bethpage and it happens to me throughout the round,” Bradley explained. “I see a guy at the leaderboard and I remember who we’re thinking of pairing him with and it’s great that they’re playing good, or I wish they were a little higher, whatever it is.
“It’s been a wild year. I’m just trying to tackle what’s in front of me, and I think I’ve done a good job of that. This might be my best round of the year, which I’m really proud of.”
Like Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy found water at the 15th. The Northern Irishman three-putted the last for a bogey, his round of 71 moving him back to six under par. It feels as if McIlroy is marking time until the Ryder Cup. Scheffler can, of course, not be ruled out of this event after a 66 for 12 under in total.
Shane Lowry followed his stunning 63 on Friday with a two-under 68 to move into a share of seventh position on nine under. Back-to-back bogeys on the 16th and 17th hurt his effort to get closer to the leaders before he closed with a birdie.
Robert MacIntyre’s challenge faded with a 72, leaving him eight shy of the leading duo.
