Tommy Fleetwood’s Long Game: How Persistence Got Him a Wife AND His First PGA Tour Win

Well, well, well. Tommy Fleetwood finally did it. After 164 attempts (yes, you read that right), the English golfer has managed to win his first PGA Tour event. But honestly? That’s nothing compared to the persistence it took him to win over his wife Clare. And trust me, that story is way more entertaining than watching someone putt for three hours.

The 23-Year Age Gap That Had Everyone Talking

Let’s address the elephant in the room, shall we? Tommy Fleetwood, now 34, is married to Clare, who happens to be 57. That’s a whopping 23-year age difference that had tongues wagging faster than a golf ball rolling downhill. But before you start judging, remember that Fleetwood has proven he’s pretty good at playing the long game – both on the course and in matters of the heart.

Clare wasn’t exactly swooning when Tommy first made his move. In fact, she turned him down flat. Can you blame her? Here’s this young golfer trying to charm his way into the heart of his agent (because yes, she was his agent first – talk about mixing business with pleasure). Her initial reaction? “Don’t be stupid!” Ouch. That’s gotta sting worse than a triple bogey.

How Fleetwood Won Over His Toughest Critic

So how did our persistent hero manage to change Clare’s mind? According to the man himself, it was good old-fashioned “perseverance.” Translation: he just wouldn’t give up. Kind of like how he spent 164 tournaments trying to win on the PGA Tour, except this time the prize was even better than a trophy and prize money.

“She just eventually gave in, I think she thought, ‘I’ll just give him the time of day and we will go from there.’ Then I didn’t mess up,” Fleetwood explained in a podcast appearance. Well, at least he’s honest about his strategy. Wear them down until they say yes – it’s not exactly Romeo and Juliet, but hey, it worked.

Dealing With the Gossip Mill

Clare admitted that navigating the gossip was probably the hardest part of their relationship. “Within the industry, it was kind of big news in our circle. So I was a little bit paranoid about all that, really,” she confessed. Because apparently, people have nothing better to do than speculate about other people’s love lives. Shocking, right?

The couple had to deal with doubters and whispers, but Clare had faith in their relationship from the get-go. “I had full faith that once we fell in love, I knew that that’s it. Baby and dog yeah, we were in. Then it was just navigating through the gossip, basically.” And those doubters? They’ve since “redeemed themselves” and admitted they were wrong. Nothing like a happy marriage to make people eat their words.

From Agent to Wife: A Professional Relationship Gone Right

The fact that Clare was Fleetwood’s agent before becoming his wife adds another layer to their story. Most people would say mixing business with pleasure is a recipe for disaster, but these two managed to make it work. They married in 2017 and have a son together, while Fleetwood stepped up as stepfather to Clare’s two older sons from a previous relationship.

It’s worth noting that Clare often watches Fleetwood compete, though she wasn’t there for his historic PGA Tour victory in Atlanta. Maybe she figured after 163 previous attempts, this one probably wouldn’t be any different. Whoops.

The PGA Tour Victory That Almost Never Came

Speaking of that victory, let’s talk about Fleetwood’s breakthrough win at the Tour Championship. The man held his nerve to close out the victory, finishing three shots ahead of Patrick Cantlay and Russell Henley. Not only did he finally get his first PGA Tour win, but he also snagged the FedEx Cup and a cool $10 million prize. Not bad for someone who was starting to look like the golf world’s version of perpetual runner-up.

What This Win Means for Fleetwood’s Career

This victory is huge for Fleetwood, and not just because of the money (though let’s be honest, $10 million doesn’t hurt). It validates years of near-misses and close calls. The guy had 29 top-five finishes on the PGA Tour without a win – that’s got to mess with your head. But like his approach to winning over Clare, he just kept plugging away.

The win also strengthens his position for the upcoming Ryder Cup as part of Luke Donald’s team. Because nothing says “pick me for the team” quite like finally proving you can close out a tournament when it matters most.

The Power of Not Giving Up

There’s something almost poetic about Fleetwood’s story. The same persistence that got him his wife is the same trait that finally got him over the line on the PGA Tour. Some might call it stubborn; others might call it romantic. Either way, it worked out pretty well for him.

Clare summed it up perfectly when she noted that people eventually saw their relationship and “knew it meant something.” Sometimes the best things in life require a little extra patience and a lot of persistence. Who knows? Maybe if more people approached their goals with Fleetwood’s determination, we’d have fewer people giving up at the first sign of rejection.

So here’s to Tommy Fleetwood – proof that sometimes the long game pays off, whether you’re chasing a PGA Tour victory or trying to convince someone 23 years older than you to give you a chance. Not all of us can pull off either feat, but it’s nice to know it’s possible.