Tommy Fleetwood shot just one round in the 60s this week in South Africa, and it came at the perfect time to seal the deal for a title defense three years in the making.
The 31-year-old Englishman shot a final-round 5-under 67 on Sunday at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa, to win the 2022 Nedbank Golf Challenge and defend his 2019 title. The DP World Tour event was canceled the last two years due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2019 win in South Africa was Fleetwood’s last victory, and came via a playoff with Marcus Kinhult. Fleetwood won this year by just one shot at 11 under, holding off Ryan Fox, who finished runner-up at 10 under. Shubhankar Sharma finished third at 9 under, with Richie Ramsay fourth at 8 under. Sebastian Soderberg and Christiaan Bezuidenhout finished T-5 at 7 under.
The win was emotional for Fleetwood, who now has six DP World Tour victories to his name. Check out the best photos of his big win in South Africa.
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England is thrown to the air by the volunteers with the Nedbank Golf…
Tommy Fleetwood of England is thrown to the air by the volunteers with the Nedbank Golf Challenge trophy after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England lift the Nedbank Golf Challenge after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on…
Tommy Fleetwood of England lift the Nedbank Golf Challenge after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge with his caddie on the…
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge with his caddie on the 18th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during…
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Ryan Fox of New Zealand shake hands with Tommy Fleetwood of England on the 18th hole…
Ryan Fox of New Zealand shake hands with Tommy Fleetwood of England on the 18th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during…
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during…
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during…
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during…
Tommy Fleetwood of England celebrates after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the 18th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England reacts after his third shot on the 18th hole during Day Four…
Tommy Fleetwood of England reacts after his third shot on the 18th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England reacts after his third shot on the 18th hole during Day Four…
Tommy Fleetwood of England reacts after his third shot on the 18th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England acknowledges the crowds on the 17th hole during Day Four of the…
Tommy Fleetwood of England acknowledges the crowds on the 17th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood of England plays his bunker shot for eagle on the 14th hole during Day…
Tommy Fleetwood of England plays his bunker shot for eagle on the 14th hole during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Tommy Fleetwood
Shubhankar Sharma of India, Ryan Fox of New Zealand and Tommy Fleetwood of England return to…
Shubhankar Sharma of India, Ryan Fox of New Zealand and Tommy Fleetwood of England return to the course on the 8th hole because of the reain delay during Day Four of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 13, 2022 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)