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When a tour pro’s winnings get paid into your bank account

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Ever opened up your bank app to find $154,000 sitting there you didn’t expect? Well that’s what happened to Tommy Fleetwood. No, not that one…

Tommy Fleetwood

It’s an easy mistake to make.

Well, it isn’t really but it saw Tommy Fleetwood’s Open Championship winnings accidentally paid into the wrong account.

Last year’s Race to Dubai winner scooped a well-earned $154,480 (around £120,000) after finishing tied 12th at Carnoustie.

But as he was preparing for the start of the PGA Championship tomorrow at Bellerive, a rather surprised Thomas Fleetwood – a club professional at the Streamsong Resort in Florida – opened his bank app on his phone to find the huge sum sitting in his account instead.

The error was revealed by his friend Greg Thorner, a teaching pro from the state, who tweeted about the amazing mistake.

https://twitter.com/GregThornerGolf/status/1027246829283540992

“I honestly didn’t know anything about it,” the four-time European Tour-winning Fleetwood told the Press Association at Bellerive after learning of the mix-up.

“I wouldn’t even know if I’d been paid or not because I don’t really look.

“It looks pretty genuine and they (the European Tour) are looking into it and I’m sure they’ll feel pretty bad about it. It’s a funny story.

“It’s just something I don’t really look at but I’ll get on top of that!”

A European Tour spokesperson put the mistake down to a “clerical error” while the gaffe led to a host of tweeters claiming they were any number of famous golfers.

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About the author

Steve Carroll
Steve Carroll

A journalist for more than 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long.

A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A’s prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.

Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men’s Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.

A part of NCG’s Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He’d like to tell you he floats around 10. The reality is more like 13.

Steve plays at Sandburn Hall, in York, and is a country member at Close House in Newcastle. He has served on various club committees during his time in the game, and is the current Rules Secretary at Sandburn.

Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NCTJ exams at Darlington College of Technology. He began his career working on weekly papers in Newcastle, before joining the York Press in 2001. After five years as a news reporter, he joined the sports desk – specialising in horse racing and snooker – and was Digital Sports Editor when he joined National Club Golfer in 2016.

What’s in Steve’s bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; Caley 01T irons 4-PW; TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges, Odyssey 2Ball Microhinge putter.

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