Southport golfer Fleetwood is one of the most popular players on the PGA Tour and this was clear to hear on the first tee at Atlanta’s East Lake course when he was given a far louder ovation than American playing partner Cantlay.

The pair were locked at 16 under after the first three rounds, but Fleetwood was four clear within two holes after he birdied the second while Cantlay opened with a bogey and double bogey.

Scheffler’s challenge was dealt a setback on the first when the world number one, who was starting four shots adrift, hit his opening tee shot out of bounds.

But any thoughts that Fleetwood would stroll to the title were checked by a bogey on the fifth.

Bounce-back birdies on the sixth and seventh moved him three clear with nine to play, but the drama was far from over.

A bogey on the 10th, coupled with a Cantlay birdie, saw his lead reduced to one. And the pair were also asked to increase their speed of play, given they had fallen almost two holes behind the group in front.

Fleetwood pushed his lead back out to two with birdies on the 12th and 13th holes.

But Scheffler, a winner of the Open Championship and US PGA Championship this year, was still lurking. A birdie on the 14th lifted Scheffler to 15 under and two back, However, his challenge finally ended in the water on the par-three 15th as he posted a double-bogey five.

Moments later US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley’s hopes suffered the same fate.

Bradley, who will on Wednesday decide whether to pick himself among his six selections for next month’s contest at Bethpage Black, flirted with the top of the leaderboard throughout Sunday before dumping his tee shot into the lake.

He had denied Fleetwood a first victory at the Travelers Championship in June but he ran out of steam in Atlanta.

Bradley’s playing partner Russell Henley also hung around without making any significant moves. He missed numerous birdie putts in a one-under 69 that left him joint second with Cantlay on 15 under.

More to follow.