If anyone mentioned Tommy Fleetwood before this season, the immediate thought would be that he’s been a journeyman. European Tour wins? Plenty. But on the PGA Tour? Zero, until his win at the 2025 Tour Championship in August, which was his first in 164 starts. And now, Fleetwood has been on such a remarkable run that an analyst hinted he’s playing at a level that puts him ahead of two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau.

On a recent episode of The 5 Clubs Podcast, host Gary Williams and analyst Ron Green Jr. dissected what makes Fleetwood one of the most compelling players in golf today. Williams asked Green if he would put Fleetwood “among the five best players” right now. Ron Green Jr. didn’t hesitate to back the assessment.

“I think given what he’s done and the way he’s played, and knowing what confidence does to players… he’s just playing with such confidence, and he expects now to do it…” Green told Williams. “And I would argue that Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Tommy Fleetwood are the three most popular players in the game right now,” he continued. And Williams immediately quipped at that statement, “So you’d put him ahead of DeChambeau?”

“Yeah, I’d put Bryson in his own… he’s in his own orbit…. and I mean that in a good way,” Green replied. It was his way of acknowledging DeChambeau’s unique talent while subtly placing Fleetwood in a league of his own right now. Sure, Bryson DeChambeau has won 9 PGA Tour titles, something not on Fleetwood’s resume. But if you were to statistically compare the two? Fleetwood takes the cake.

In his 164 tour starts since 2018, he’s made over 140 cuts, had 45 top-10 finishes & 31 top-5 finishes. Whereas Bryson DeChambeau is close to Fleetwood’s numbers with 108 cuts (out of 154 events) & 28 top-5 finishes. Resume-wise, DeChambeau might have a better-looking one because of his two U.S. Open titles, but consistency-wise? It’s Tommy Fleetwood.

And DeChambeau has always been known to be a polarizing figure. First, it was for his unorthodox methods on the golf course, and lately, it’s been about his obsession with becoming a YouTube star. In fact, just before the Ryder Cup kicked off, Brandel Chamblee branded him as a “captain’s nightmare” for choosing to talk about his YouTube channel instead of playing for Team USA.

By contrast, what Green and Williams are stating is that Tommy Fleetwood’s rise hasn’t been defined by controversy but by consistency, poise, and a magnetic personality that has drawn fans and players in.

Tommy Fleetwood’s qualities that set him apart

Not just stats, but Green emphasized other qualities of Fleetwood that set him apart. He went on to praise Fleetwood’s combination of skill and personality, calling him a “huggable character” and that he’s loved by many “because of how he plays, because of how he looks.” He emphasized that Tommy Fleetwood has “got this amazing grace about him,” noting how the Englishman has faced setbacks openly and has never “hid from the disappointments.”

And Gary Williams had to agree. “Grace is easy when you’re winning. Grace is not as achievable when you suffer biting losses,” he stated, pointing towards how many times Fleetwood came close to a win this year, but never gave up. He came painfully close to earning his first PGA Tour titles at the Travelers Championship and the first two events of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Ultimately, his grit and resilience paid off when he finally won at East Lake.

“A star to me is a star. It can’t just be popularity. Achievement has to run stride for stride with likability, and he has that in a way with the Ryder Cup. He won again in India. He wins the tour championship. He’s a star. There’s no doubt,” Williams added. 

Shortly after Fleetwood led Team Europe to a victory at the 2025 Ryder Cup, he captured his eighth DP World Tour title at the DP World Tour Championship in India, a win he revealed was fueled by a deeply personal motivation, his son. Fleetwood shared that the thought of making his family proud gave him the push he needed to close out the tournament, adding an emotional layer to his achievement. These victories, combined with his PGA Tour breakthrough in August, have set the tone for what could be a remarkable 2026.