It was meant to be his moment. Tommy Fleetwood had one hand on the Travelers Championship trophy, and for a while, it looked like the wait for that elusive PGA Tour win was finally over.

But golf, as it often does, had other plans — and this one will sting for a long, long time.

A Dream Start Turns Into a Nightmare Finish

Fleetwood came out on Sunday with a three-shot lead and seemed ready to take command from the get-go.

He was composed, confident, and even regained that cushion on the 13th hole after a few hiccups earlier in the round.

But Keegan Bradley, the US Ryder Cup captain, was relentless.

Even on the 18th tee, Fleetwood was still ahead by one.

All he needed was a safe three-putt from 50 feet to at least force a playoff. But nerves got the better of him.

A misjudged first putt left him too much to do, and his six-footer for par slid wide.

Meanwhile, Bradley had watched the line and calmly drained his own putt for birdie. A two-shot swing, just like that.

Fleetwood’s 72 dropped him to 14 under, while Bradley’s 68 lifted him to 15 under.

It was a brutal, gut-punch of an ending for the Englishman.

A Familiar, Painful Pattern

If this was a one-off, it might be easier to swallow.

But this was Fleetwood’s 159th PGA Tour start, and he still doesn’t have a win on American soil.

He’s finished second five times, third another five, and piled up 41 top-10 finishes — the most of any modern PGA Tour player without a victory.

Over in Europe, he’s a seven-time winner. But in the US? The narrative has hardened: great player, can’t quite seal the deal.

And this latest loss won’t help shake that reputation.

Reflecting on the collapse, Fleetwood didn’t sugarcoat it: “I’m pretty gutted right now.

Leading by one on the last and not even making a play-off is probably the worst way it can go. Gutted. I’ll just go home and start practicing again.”

A Day That Should Have Been His

Fleetwood started Sunday on 16 under, looking cool and collected.

But pressure and a swirling wind quickly unraveled that comfort.

He missed four of his first five fairways — a shocking stat considering he’d hit 21 in a row across the previous two rounds.

That shaky start resulted in three bogeys and just one birdie, letting Bradley draw level at 14 under before the American stumbled at the sixth.

Fleetwood steadied himself and regained the lead.

But on the ninth, Bradley sank a 65-foot birdie putt that pulled them level again.

With Russell Henley, Jason Day, and even world No.1 Scottie Scheffler creeping up the leaderboard, things were tightening fast.

Holding On, Then Slipping Away

Bradley briefly gave up ground with a bogey at 10, and Fleetwood looked to capitalize.

A birdie on the 11th, followed by another at the 13th, gave him a three-shot cushion once again.

But then came the turning point.

Fleetwood only managed a par on the driveable 15th — a hole he’d previously dominated — while Bradley picked up a birdie from the sand.

Then came a bogey on the par-three 16th for Fleetwood, trimming his lead to one.

At the 17th, the drama continued: Fleetwood found a bunker off the tee, faced a tough shot over water, but managed to save par. Still, the pressure was piling on.

A Gut-Wrenching Final Hole

Both players found the fairway off the 18th tee. Bradley struck first with a gorgeous approach to within six feet.

Fleetwood, sitting on the fringe 50 feet away, needed a solid two-putt to stay alive. But his first putt came up short.

His second ran long. The third finally dropped — but the damage was done.

Bradley didn’t flinch. He rolled in his birdie and walked away the winner, while Fleetwood was left wondering — again — how a near-certain win slipped through his fingers.

Meanwhile, McIlroy and Scheffler Fly Under the Radar

It’s easy to forget that Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler both had excellent rounds.

Each shot a 65 and finished tied for sixth at 12 under.

But this final round wasn’t about them — not really.

This day was supposed to belong to Fleetwood.

Instead, it ended up spotlighting Keegan Bradley, who now finds himself in an awkward — albeit impressive — position: playing well enough to deserve a Ryder Cup spot on the very team he’s captaining.