Needing a birdie at the par-five to force a
playoff, Fleetwood tried to fade a five-wood from 235 yards, but
hit a big slice that was destined for a watery grave from the
moment it left the clubface at PGA National in Palm Beach
Gardens.
It probably did not help that a spectator seemed to yell "get in
the hole" while the Englishman was still in his backswing.
"It never looked like sniffing land," Fleetwood said.
"It wasn't a good feeling for the next 10 minutes.
"There are fine margins in this game. Hit a shot like I did
yesterday, two putts and we're in the playoff. That's golf."
With the subsequent bogey, Westwood finished at four-under-par
276 for third place, two strokes behind South Korean winner Im
Sung-jae.
It was the latest close call for Fleetwood, who is winless in 65
career starts on the PGA Tour, despite seven top-three finishes.
But he vowed not to be too hard on himself.
"I didn't do much wrong really," said the 54-hole leader, who
carded a closing 71.
"Just because I've made bogey on the last here, you don't have
time to go away and sit and sulk about it.
"I don't feel like I'm getting worse at golf."
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by
Christopher Cushing)
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