Why Fleetwood will join Rahm in the final group Sunday
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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 16: Tommy Fleetwood of England lines up a putt on the seventh green during the third round of The PLAYERS Championship on The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 16, 2019 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood Round 3 highlights from THE PLAYERS
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Why is Tommy Fleetwood – and not Rory McIlroy -- in the final group Sunday at THE PLAYERS Championship?
“I think I’m the better-looking one, so they put me in the last group,” Fleetwood said with a wry smile.
Well, Fleetwood does have the most-impressive hair on the PGA TOUR, but that’s not the reason why. It actually goes back to the fact that he finished Friday’s second round approximately 40 minutes earlier than McIlroy.
Fleetwood was the first player to sign for 12 under that day and assumed the clubhouse lead. McIlroy eventually joined him as the co-leader and in the final group for Saturday.
Since Fleetwood was first in on Friday, that meant he had the honors off the first tee Saturday.
Eighteen holes later, Fleetwood and McIlroy stood on the 18th green, each at 14 under, with the final twosome still undecided.
Leader Jon Rahm, at 15 under, was guaranteed one spot. McIlroy could’ve joined him at that number but missed his 10-foot birdie putt, then finished off his tap-in par. Fleetwood followed with his par putt from 5 feet.
Usually, it’s first-in, last-out, except when both players are in the same group and finish with the same score. Then it reverts to whoever struck the first tee shot. Hence, Fleetwood will join Rahm at 1:35 p.m. ET on Sunday, while McIlroy tees off 10 minutes earlier with Jason Day, who is at 12 under.
It might seem like a small issue, except for the fact that McIlroy has been in the final group nine times in worldwide events the last two years and failed to convert a single one into victory.
McIlroy seems more concerned about taking advantage of the four par 5s at TPC Sawgrass. He was 6 under on those holes in the first two rounds but played them at even par on Saturday.
“Definitely an area that I need to really concentrate on and try to make the most of those holes because it is getting difficult out there,” McIlroy said. “Definitely with the conditions the way they might be tomorrow, you’ve got to take advantage of the easier holes.”
As for being in the final group with Rahm – taking his first 54-hole lead in his TOUR career – Fleetwood said it doesn’t make much difference to him.
“The course is the same and the atmosphere between the second to the last group or the last group won’t really change,” said the Englishman. “It’ll be good to be in the final group again. That will be all weekend that I’ve played in the final group, so that’s something to be very happy about.”