Fleetwood honoured with Nicklaus-Jacklin Award at Ryder Cup
Englishman’s integrity and composure shine through as Europe triumph at Bethpage Black
Seoul, South Korea - Tommy Fleetwood has been named the winner of the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award presented by Aon after playing a pivotal role in Europe’s 15–13 victory at the 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
Fleetwood finished the week with a 4–1–0 record, contributing four points that proved decisive in Europe’s first away win since 2012. He partnered Rory McIlroy for two foursomes wins, added two fourball victories alongside Justin Rose, and now holds the highest winning percentage of any European with at least 10 matches played.
“When you play in a team event like this you don’t necessarily set out to win individual awards, but to focus on playing the right way,” Fleetwood said. “To be acknowledged like this, winning an award named after Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin, is very cool. Sportsmanship is important to our game and Luke Donald has instilled in this team an amazing attitude that helped us get over the line.”
The award, first introduced in 2021, honours the competitor who best embodies the spirit of the Ryder Cup. It recalls the moment in 1969 when Nicklaus conceded a putt to Jacklin to secure the first tie in Ryder Cup history, emphasising respect over rivalry. Fleetwood becomes the fourth recipient, joining Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose.
Andy Marcell, CEO of Global Solutions at Aon, praised the choice: “This year’s winner exemplifies the power of making better decisions under pressure. Congratulations to Tommy Fleetwood whose leadership on and off the course reflects the very best of what this award stands for.”