British golfer Tommy Fleetwood was left without a significant portion of his prize money from The Open Championship after an administrative blunder resulted in the £120,000 payment being sent to the wrong person.
The error occurred following Fleetwood’s performance at The Open, where he finished tied for 12th place—an achievement that earned him a substantial payout. However, the funds were mistakenly transferred to a Florida-based golf professional who shares the same name.
The recipient, also named Tommy Fleetwood, was surprised to find the large deposit in his account and immediately reported the issue. He told reporters that he was stunned when he saw the unexpected windfall, quickly realising it was not intended for him. The case highlights how easily administrative oversights can occur when individuals share common names, especially within the same professional sport.
Fleetwood’s actual management team reportedly flagged the issue soon after noticing the funds had not been received. The European Tour, which oversees payments for events like The Open, acknowledged the error and confirmed that steps were being taken to ensure the funds were redirected to the correct recipient.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the European Tour said, “This was a clerical error which we are in the process of rectifying. The prize money will be transferred to Tommy Fleetwood’s correct account shortly.”
While the mix-up was eventually resolved, the incident has drawn attention to the need for stricter verification processes in prize distributions, especially in high-profile international tournaments.
Fleetwood, who has earned millions throughout his professional career, took the incident in stride, reportedly laughing off the mistake when speaking with fellow players. Nonetheless, the situation served as a cautionary tale for tournament organisers and financial administrators in the sporting world.
As for the American Tommy Fleetwood, he maintained his integrity throughout the incident and ensured the funds were not misused. “It was never my money,” he said in interviews, “and I knew that immediately.”
The real Tommy Fleetwood eventually received his prize money, but the unusual mix-up left fans and media momentarily baffled—and provided an unexpected headline in the world of golf.
