Tommy Fleetwood, still chasing his first PGA Tour win, reveals how his wife Clare initially turned him down due to their 23-year age difference. Despite this, his net worth has reached a staggering $32.5 million.
Tommy Fleetwood, the talented English golfer, is once again eyeing his first PGA Tour victory as he heads into the final round of the Tour Championship in Atlanta. At 34 years old, the Southport-born star has been one of the most consistent players on the circuit, but a win has always eluded him, despite impressive runner-up finishes in major tournaments and success with Team Europe in the Ryder Cup.
Fleetwood had a standout third round at the Tour Championship, shooting a three-under-par to tie for the lead with American Patrick Cantlay heading into the final 18 holes. But despite all his success on the course, Fleetwood holds an unfortunate record: the golfer who has earned the most prize money on the PGA Tour without ever winning a tournament.
A Lucrative Career Despite the Wait for a Win
Although Fleetwood is still chasing that elusive win, his career has been anything but financially disappointing. The golfer has earned a staggering £24 million ($32.5 million) in prize money, including £4.7 million ($6.4 million) in 2024 alone. His third-place finish at the St Jude Championship earlier this month earned him £860,000 in just one weekend.
Off the course, Fleetwood enjoys sponsorship deals with big names like Nike, TaylorMade, and Tag Heuer. However, despite the financial rewards, his wife and manager, Clare, revealed that the couple often turns down lucrative opportunities.
Clare’s Focus on Time Over Money
Speaking on the Performance People podcast, Clare, who has managed Fleetwood’s career from the start, explained, “We’ve turned down loads, absolutely loads.” She further added, “I just know his time is more important at home than the bank account. I don’t care about the bank account either, so I’m on his wavelength.”
Fleetwood’s wife has always been supportive of her husband’s career, but she also places a high value on family life over financial gain. She added that it’s important for her to balance both her professional and personal life, and that she doesn’t just view their lifestyle as a choice, but rather as a “business choice.”
The Love Story and the 23-Year Age Gap
Fleetwood and Clare first met in 2015, thanks to his brother, and what began as a professional relationship soon turned personal. By 2017, the couple married and now share a son, Frankie. Clare also has two older children from a previous relationship.
The pair’s 23-year age gap has been a talking point, with Clare admitting that she initially turned Fleetwood down when he made his interest known. “Of course, I turned him down. I was like, ‘Don’t be stupid,’” she laughed, reflecting on the early stages of their romance.
Fleetwood, however, remained persistent and eventually won her over, saying, “Well, she just eventually gave in, I think, and thought, ‘I’ll just give him some time. I’ll give him the time of day and then we’ll go from there.’ I didn’t mess up.”
Managing Both Personal and Professional Life
Despite the challenges of balancing marriage, parenthood, and a high-profile career, Clare has continued to manage Fleetwood’s career. She described the role as complex, with multiple sides of the business to oversee, including sponsorship, logistics, PR, and accounts. “Maybe sometimes too much, you know, because then that’s all I think about sometimes,” she said.
But for Clare, it’s worth the effort, as she believes it gives her a deeper understanding of every aspect of the business. “I look at one question – it might have 15 answers for me. Do you know what I mean? It’s a little bit more complicated for me because I see things, you know, like, are we going to live?”
With a career as lucrative as Fleetwood’s, Clare knows the stakes are high, but she’s committed to making it all work.
