Tommy Fleetwood’s bid for first win in America meets watery end as final-hole calamity ends chances at Honda Classic with Sung-jae Im taking victory
- Tommy Fleetwood was at the top heading into the last day of the Honda Classic
- He was leading the English charge including Lee Westwood and Luke Donald
- But Fleetwood went for green at par-five 18th and found the water instead
- Exciting 21-year-old Korean, Sung-jae Im, came away with an impressive victory
Tommy Fleetwood’s wait for his first victory in America goes on after a final-hole calamity on a wild, compelling Sunday in South Florida that ended in a victory at the Honda Classic for the exciting 21-year-old Korean, Sung-jae Im.
Fleetwood had needed to finish with two birdies to force extra holes and completed the first part of the equation with a gutsy two at the difficult short 17th.
But, going for the green at the par-five 18th, his ball ended in a watery grave instead to end his chances.
Tommy Fleetwood led the way going into the final round but came up short on Sunday
Sung-jae Im claimed victory with an impressive final round of 66 in the Honda Classic
The bitter disappointment felt by the 29-year-old Englishman was palpable, for he had played two chips on the back nine that looked destined to finish in the hole, only for one to come up just short in the jaws and another graze the edge.
Such are the fine margins when trying to win at this level.
It was hard to begrudge Im his victory, though. A final-round 66 featuring two daredevil birdies over the last four holes, and a breathtaking bunker shot at the 18th, was the way you’d want to win for the first time.
Fleetwood was not the only Englishman in contention. Lee Westwood and Luke Donald began in tied third place, two shots behind.
Birdies at the 11th and the 14th brought Westwood into the thick of contention but a bogey at the 16th proved fatal.
Even so, a tied fifth-place finish was enormously encouraging as he heads towards the Masters. Donald, finished tied 11th.
Lee Westwood’s bogey at the 16th proved fatal in his bid to win in south Florida
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