Tommy Fleetwood said on Twitter on Saturday that he will be taking a break from professional golf to spend time with his family, casting doubt on his position for the balance of the season, including the FedExCup Playoffs.
Since being tied for fourth at The Open Championship and his mother’s passing the week after St. Andrews, Fleetwood hasn’t played and has instead spent the previous several weeks at home in Southport, England.
Fleetwood tweeted, “Well done and good luck to everyone who reached the FedEx[Cup] Playoffs.” I’m taking some time off to spend time with my family at home, but I want to be back to the @PGATOUR and @DPWorldTour soon.
Although Fleetwood didn’t specifically state he was skipping the entire playoffs, his current ranking of 46th is good enough to qualify for the first two tournaments, the FedEx St. Jude Invitational and the BMW Championship, and even if he does miss the entire postseason, at least he has secured his PGA Tour card for the following year.
After completing last year at No. 40, Fleetwood has had a strong year, moving up to No. 26 at the moment. He tied for fifth at the PGA Championship and shared 14th at the Masters this year, posting three top-15 finishes in majors. He is also second in European Ryder Cup points, just ahead of Jon Rahm.
The 125-player field will not be filled if Fleetwood does not participate in the playoff opening in Memphis.