Fleetwood eyes end to PGA Tour victory wait as storylines stack up at East Lake

Tommy Fleetwood can end his long wait for a PGA Tour win as storylines galore compete for attention on the final day of the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

Hopes of an Irish win faded as Shane Lowry’s 68 left him seven shots behind Fleetwood and Patrick Cantlay, who lead by two shots from Russell Henley on 16-under.

Rory McIlroy’s hopes of a fourth FedEx Cup win ended when he played his last four holes in three over and shot a 71 that left him ten shots off the pace. 

But there are others queuing up for the $10 million FedEx Cup pay off.

Cantlay hasn’t won for three years and to add to the intrigue, US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley is lurking just three shots behind as he ponders whether or not to pick himself for Bethpage next Wednesday.

Then there’s defending FedEx Cup champion Scottie Scheffler, who is just one stroke further back as he bids to become the first repeat champion.

“Felt like another frustrating day,” Scheffler said after carding a 66 for his 20th consecutive sub-par round. 

"I felt like I did some things well out there. I was just a little bit off on my reads most of the day. I hit some good putts that just didn’t fall. Overall, I didn’t shoot myself out of the tournament, which making bogeys around this place can very easily do that.”

Cantlay can confirm his likely Ryder Cup selection with his first victory for three years and his second FedExCup triumph since 2021 while Fleetwood can strike a blow for Europe and shake a monkey off his back.

After finding water and making a double bogey at the peninsula green 15th, the Englishman birdied the 16th and 17th to shoot 67 and tie with Cantlay, who shot 63 on 16-under.

“It’s where everybody wants to be when you tee it off each week,” Fleetwood said of his latest chance to win a PGA Tour title after painful losses in the Travelers Championship and the FedEx St Jude Championship two weeks ago. 

“You want to be in the final group on Sunday or you want to be in contention. I love the fact that I'm playing so well.”

Bradley is one of the most intriguing storylines of all.

If he wins, it will be difficult for him not to pick himself and become the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.

“I’m either going to win or I’m not and we’re going to know the picks,” Bradley said. “We’re pretty confident with the picks that we have. One more day of golf to kind of finalise this whole thing, and I can’t wait. I’m done with this whole process. I want it over with either way.”

Europe’s top six will be confirmed after the Betfred British Masters today, where England’s Matt Fitzpatrick leads by two shots from Alex Noren and by three from Marco Penge.

Only Rasmus Hojgaard, who is tied for 14th, can qualify automatically

The Dane must finish in a two-way tie for 29th at worst to claim the sixth and last automatic qualifying place and force Lowry to wait for a captain's pick on Monday week.

On the LPGA Tour, Leona Maguire’s hopes of a first win this season faded on the back nine of a third-round 72 in the CPKC Women’s Open in Ontario.

The Co. Cavan star bfridly held the early lead as she went out in two under, but three bogeys on the back nine saw her fall six shots off the pace.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson and Australian Minjee Lee carded a five-under 66 to share a three-shot lead on 11-under from Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and halfway leader Akie Iwai of Japan.