Video of the shot showed Fleetwood attempting to birdie the par four second hole. The ball rolled and sat on the lip of the cup for what seemed like a lifetime, before the ball finally dropped to give Fleetwood a much-needed birdie.
Tommy Fleetwood may not have clinched the BMW Championship title, but it was his breathtaking birdie that stole the spotlight and set the sporting world abuzz. The 34-year-old Englishman finished tied for fourth at 10-under, as Scottie Scheffler cruised to yet another victory. Yet, all eyes were on Fleetwood’s jaw-dropping 28-foot birdie putt during the final round on Sunday at the Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland.
The remarkable moment came at the par-four second hole. As cameras rolled, Fleetwood lined up the shot, sending the ball gliding across the green. It slowed, paused dramatically on the lip of the cup hanging there before finally tumbling in. The crowd erupted in thunderous applause, while Fleetwood flashed a broad, satisfied grin.
But what turned this already magical moment into a viral sensation was an unexpected twist. Up-close replays shared by CBS Sports and others showed a fly briefly crawling across Fleetwood’s ball just before it toppled in. The insect’s split-second cameo fueled a storm of speculation online, with many playfully crediting the bug for the birdie.
Comparison to Tiger Woods’ birdie
The scene drew immediate comparisons to one of golf’s most legendary putts — Tiger Woods’ unforgettable birdie at Augusta’s 16th hole during the 2005 Masters. Woods’ ball famously clung to the edge of the cup, the Nike swoosh frozen in full view, before finally dropping — a moment that reportedly delivered Nike up to $1 million in free advertising. Woods went on to capture his fourth Masters title that year.