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Addie's Baddies: Nice Guys Finish First.
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3 MIN READ

August 25, 2025

Addie's Baddies: Nice Guys Finish First.

What a guy. What a finish. Tommy's triumph meant something to all of us.

When I started this series, I felt as if the PGA TOUR needed an "it boy".

The kind of guy who would elevate the tour not just by winning, but by being the cool, down to earth guy that's easy to root for.

From the Swedish Machine in Ludvig Åberg to the bold and creative Sahith Theegala—there's been quite a lineup of baddies this season, but no one embodies the true essence of the title quite like Mr. Thomas Paul Fleetwood. (Even his name is sexy.)

If you need a refresher, the Addie's Baddies rubric is as follows:

  • On-cam/hot mic charisma (aka RIZZ)
  • On-course swagger (i.e. the way they bend down to pick up a tee)
  • Great follicle capacity (whether on your head, face, heck even great arm hair counts)
  • How they look when the hat comes OFF (plan for that, I don't care)
  • Slightly mysterious/ambiguity, kinda shy vibes but still has potential to be a "bad boy/girl"
  • Adorable or funny interactions with fans
  • Intense muscle tone specifically at address
  • A cheeky smile
  • Good, strong fist pump capabilities

Not a requirement but definitely adds bonus points—a pretty golf swing

If this were a test, Fleetwood would be passing with flying colors. He fits the bill so incredibly well.

The TOUR's most recent winner has been on my baddie radar ever since he pulled up to the 2023 Open Championship in a structured, lifestyle cardigan from Nike. (There's nothing I adore more than a man sporting a golf cardigan.)

RELATED: Fellas, Please Start Wearing More Golf Cardigans.

It wasn't anything daring or crazy, in fact, it was just clean, simple, and sophisticated—right up the Englishman's alley, and it showed me that he cares about a bit more than just the golf.

Is he taking the crown for most fashionable golfer? No, but he's not lacking in the style category by any means.

And behind that wonderfully vibrant, toothy smile lies a good man—his biggest appeal.

In his winning presser, a long-awaited moment for Fleetwood and golf fans everywhere, he made sure to reiterate that the most important thing to him isn't what happens inside the ropes.

He's an absolute gem and he's passing it down to his kids, too.

This is by far one of my favorite interviews of the year. And if the Fleetwood's are offering lessons on how to be media trained I'll gladly sign up.

But I must confess, regardless of the TOUR Championship's finish on Sunday, Tommy Boy was always going to be my diamond of the season.

No one is more deserving. A vital member of three (soon to be four) Ryder Cup teams , a six-time runner-up, with a slew of top-10s—this win was a culmination of hard work and perseverance.

You can always tell the kind of person a golfer is based on the people waiting for them at the end of a round.

We all wanted this for him. The close calls, especially late this season, there was a collective breath of relief when the final putt dropped. At last, we can call him a winner.

The thing about the golf baddies is that the on-course skills are the least interesting things about them. Who are the ones you can have a beer with and talk about life's philosophies? Who would bail you out of a tricky situation no questions asked? The ones who have a unique sense of familiarity, those are the real baddies.

Tommy Fleetwood is the guy I think we'd all want in our friend group, and I've never been more proud of a complete stranger in my life.

Sure the win and the $10 million payout are cool—but being crowned the baddest of the whole season also has to mean something, right?

Oh, and his first tweet since winning? Legendary.


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