Emotional Tommy Fleetwood wins Nedbank Golf Challenge AGAIN on DP World Tour
Tommy Fleetwood holed an incredible bunker shot for an eagle late on at Gary Player CC in Sun City on his way to winning back-to-back titles at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
The emotion filled up inside Tommy Fleetwood and poured out as he watched Ryan Fox miss his par putt on the 72nd hole at the Nedbank Golf Challenge, confirming the Englishman's first win in three years.
It is also Fleetwood's first win since the passing of his mother in July. Despite starting the day three shots off the lead and going through a weather delay, he made four birdies in his first nine holes, including a lucky break on hole 1.
Fleetwood reached 10-under and he now shared the lead with Shubhankar Sharma, but Ryan Fox also joined the action with four consecutive birdies on holes 7,8, 9 and 10.
Fleetwood took a step back on the par-3 12th hole with a bogey, but he provided a highlight reel moment on the par-5 14th hole by nailing a superb bunker shot for an eagle.
"I felt alright in there, it wasn't the best lie really - but I felt ok. It wasn't a terrible place to be - I don't know how far past it would've gone if it missed on the second bounce.
Oh @TommyFleetwood1 , stop it!
The 2019 champion joins the lead with an eagle at the 14th.#NGC2022 pic.twitter.com/KNtPDnTGZN— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 13, 2022
"But it came out lovely and went in. And again, that spark every now and again just happens when you walk through the door and you win. Those sorts of things happen, and sometimes, they don't."
Fox replied with a birdie and the pair were level while Sharma faltered. Despite a birdie of his own on the very same hole, Sharma bogeyed the 16th and 17th holes to fall out of contention.
When it came down to Fleetwood and Fox, it was the Australian who was first to blink. He duffed a driving iron on the 18th tee box which didn't reach the fairway.
He reached the back fringe for three shots and, after Fleetwood scared the hole from 52 feet for birdie, Fox didn't get his ball up to the hole for a par.
Fleetwood secured his sixth DP World Tour win in front of Gary Player himself and he moved up to fourth in the DP World Tour Rankings ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next week.
"I wanted to win with them (his family) here for such a long time. They come and now they disappear when I do! They're at the airport and the kids have got exams tomorrow so they've got to get to school.
An emotional moment for @TommyFleetwood1 as he becomes a winner again on the DP World Tour #NGC2022 pic.twitter.com/sHxuRrZpPp
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 13, 2022
"It's been a great week, obviously I already had so many amazing memories of this place and I felt like I had such a great connection, so this has added to that - It's amazing we got four rounds in really.
"Yeah and no (thinking about the 2019 win on the back nine). (It was) a long time ago. Obviously, you can draw on the good memories that you have around somewhere that you've won and I felt good all day."
Despite another runner-up finish for Fox, he has arguably been the standout player on Tour this season. His wins at the Ras al Khaimah Classic and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship were among 10 top-10 finishes in 2022.
Nedbank Golf Challenge - Final Leaderboard
-11 T Fleetwood
-10 R Fox
-9 S Sharma
-8 R Ramsay
-7 S Soderberg, C Bezuidenhout
