After years of heartbreak, near-misses, and agonizing close calls, Tommy Fleetwood finally had his day. At East Lake, the Englishman etched his name into golf history by capturing his first-ever PGA Tour title—and it wasn’t just any trophy. With a flawless closing 68, Fleetwood claimed the 2025 Tour Championship, the FedEx Cup crown, and a life-changing $10 million payday. For a player so often defined by what he hadn’t won, this was redemption at its purest.

The moment felt electric. An American crowd roared his name. Fleetwood stood on top of the golf world with chants of “Tommy, Tommy, Tommy” echoing behind him. The breakthrough was undeniable.

Yet the celebration comes with the next worry. The Ryder Cup is next. The venue is Bethpage Black in New York. And that stage is nothing like Atlanta.

Golf Channel host Gary Williams delivered the blunt reminder. He praised the way the playoffs had unfolded, pointing to Fleetwood’s moment in Atlanta as the perfect ending to three weeks of drama.

“Yesterday, you have Tommy Fleetwood getting Tommy Tommy all the way home from an American crowd. And you have Scheffler doing what he does, being insistent on not going away. And then you have the likes of Henley and Cantlay hanging around and some other guys like Cam Young doing what they needed to do. And even Sam Burns, you could not draw up three weeks if you want to be greedy and say a little bit more, Rory. Fair. But generally speaking, the PGA Tour could not have drawn up a more effective three weeks of leaderboards, storylines, and the culmination of three events from a playoff in Memphis to Scheffler in the chip-in on 17 at Caves Valley to Tommy Tommy Tommy in Atlanta.”

Williams was highlighting how each player added to the spectacle. Scottie Scheffler refused to fade, sealing the BMW Championship with a remarkable chip-in at Caves Valley. Henley lit up East Lake with a brilliant opening 61, while Patrick Cantlay surged with a Saturday 64 to join Fleetwood in the final-day fight. Even Cameron Young and Sam Burns ensured American names remained on the leaderboard, while Rory McIlroy’s presence added star power. Fleetwood’s triumph, against that backdrop, became the exclamation point of the playoffs.

But Williams quickly turned the focus forward. The Ryder Cup looms, and Bethpage Black offers no sympathy. He warned that Europe’s charm won’t sway New York.

“One last thing because we’ll talk some Ryder Cup is the notion that suddenly Europe, because Tommy is such a delightful, affable, likable guy, is suddenly going to curry favor with an American crowd at Bethpage. Please stop. Please. That is a powdered keg of plutonium that the European team is heading into in a month’s time.”

Williams doubled down on the point, making clear that any affection Fleetwood earned in Atlanta would not survive in New York.

“They will curry no favor with that crowd. He got what he deserved yesterday and I don’t know that he’s going to get what he deserves in a month’s time, but they’re not going to suddenly have the affection of an American crowd because across the board they’re a pretty likable lot.”

Moreover, the Ryder Cup history is rife with examples of hostile home crowds. At Brookline in 1999, the American galleries erupted into premature celebrations—storming the green after Justin Leonard’s birdie before José María Olazábal had a chance to putt—an act Sam Torrance called “probably the most disgusting” display of bad etiquette he’d witnessed. There were also reports of then Captain, Mark James’s wife, being spat on by the home crowd.

The message was clear. Fleetwood’s breakthrough victory has reshaped his career. But as Europe prepares for Bethpage, the cheers of Atlanta will fade into jeers. The reality check is coming fast. Fleetwood may be a FedEx Cup champion, but Bethpage Black will show no mercy.

Bethpage Awaits Tommy Fleetwood: Ryder Cup reality looms after FedEx Cup glory

As the dust settles on Fleetwood’s breakthrough and the Ryder Cup looms large, attention turns to the early roster shaping up on both sides of the Atlantic.

Team USA has already locked in its six automatic qualifiers: Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, and Bryson DeChambeau. These players secured their spots with consistent performances through the BMW Championship and the FedExCup points system.

Team Europe has likewise finalized its six automatic qualifiers. Joining McIlroy and Fleetwood are Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, and Rasmus Højgaard, who clinched his place with a strong finish at the British Masters. All six now await captain Luke Donald’s wildcard decisions.

With half of each team already set, the captain’s picks will likely define the tone and momentum for both sides as they prepare to battle it out at Bethpage Black.