Tommy Fleetwood faces yet another nervy night’s sleep as the Englishman holds a one-shot lead with a maiden PGA Tour title in sight as Jason Day is set to be the only Australian to advance to the next phase of the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Fleetwood (-14) began the third round with a three-shot lead but a one-under par round of 69 reduced the gap from countryman Justin Rose (-13).
Rose even took a two-shot lead at one point as he started his round on fire with four birdies in five holes from holes three to seven on his way to a 67, while Fleetwood stumbled early with a double bogey at the par 5 third.
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The pair were sipping wine in Portugal together a week ago, and now will face off in the final group for a second straight round after Rose birdied the last as Fleetwood bogeyed to reduce the gap.
It is not a two-horse race, however, with world No.1 Scottie Scheffler (-12) breathing down their necks.
The Open and US PGA champion is chasing a fifth win in nine starts and gave himself a good chance to do so with a five-under par round of 65.
US Open champion J.J. Spaun (-11) also shot a 65 – the equal low round of the day alongside Scheffler, Taylor Pendrith and Xander Schauffele.
Spaun sits alongside Andrew Novak in a share of fourth, and after Oakmont, Spaun too boasts final round pedigree to heap the pressure on Fleetwood.
The world No.15 had a more comfortable three shot buffer at the beginning of the final round at the Travelers Championship in June.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – AUGUST 09: Scottie Scheffler hits a chip shot on the 16th hole during the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship 2025 at TPC Southwind on August 09, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Fleetwood then shot a two-over par 72 with a bogey at the last sealing his fate as US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley snatched victory with a birdie in the same group.
A breakthrough win for the 34-year-old would continue a PGA Tour trend this year of players overcoming their winless droughts.
Cameron Young claimed his first Tour title at last week’s Wyndham Championship after seven runner-up finishes.
Brian Campbell won for the first time after 187 starts across the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour at the Mexico Open in February.
For Fleetwood, finishing the job would mean adding an 11th win worldwide to his resume, but he has never lifted a trophy on the primary US Tour after several near misses.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – AUGUST 09: Tommy Fleetwood of England reacts after making a birdie on the 16th hole during the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship 2025 at TPC Southwind on August 09, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. Andy Lyons/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by ANDY LYONS / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP
He has twice finished runner-up in a major (2018 US Open and 2019 Open Championship) and boasts an Olympic silver medal.
In Tour events, he lost in a playoff at the Canadian Open in 2023 as well as runner-up finishes at the 2017 WGC – Mexico Championship and the Travelers Championship earlier this year.
Fleetwood has been successful enough to accumulate more than US$30 million (A$45.97m) on the PGA Tour but he is the only player to do so without a win.
“Yeah, I just think I would way rather be there and fail than not be there at all,” Fleetwood said.
“So either way, like, it’s a good thing. Yeah, it hurts when it doesn’t happen for you and that sort of streak, if you like, and people talk about it more and more, that goes on.
“Obviously it’s not my favorite time, like walking off the 18th at that point. But I practice so hard at my game, and I work so hard and I enjoy being out here four days like this, Sunday going tomorrow, and all the times when you’re 40th place going into Sunday, 30th, 20th, you might have a great day and you might feel good, but it’s just not the same as being in contention.
“As I say, I just look forward to the opportunities and continue to give myself a chance in chasing my dreams, and whether they happen or not tomorrow or the next week or the week after, that’s another story. But I’m looking forward to it nonetheless.”
Meanwhile, Cam Davis (-2) is the best placed of the Australians on the leaderboard after he shot a three-under par third round of 67.
Davis jumped 14 places on the leaderboard to a share of 38th, but his position in the FedEx Cup standings has only improved one spot from 69th to 68th.
With the top 50 progressing to next week’s BMW Championship, Davis’ season is all but over.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – AUGUST 09: Min Woo Lee of Australia hits out of a greenside bunker on the 11th hole during the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship 2025 at TPC Southwind on August 09, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
So too is Min Woo Lee’s.
The 27-year-old started the week on the bubble in 50th place in the standings, but has languished at the bottom of the leaderboard after all three rounds.
Lee is +10 after a second straight round of 72.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – AUGUST 08: Jason Day of Australia looks on while playing the seventh hole during the second round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship 2025 at TPC Southwind on August 08, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Day is set to be the only Australian still in action next week, but he has done his chances of reaching the Tour Championship a disservice.
The former world No.1 is even par overall after a third round 71, and his playoff position has slipped from 37th to 41st with the top 30 after the BMW Championship progressing to the season finale where the winner pockets US$10 million (A$15.3m).
