A Tommy Fleetwood had a day like Forrest Gump. He started running and couldn’t stop. It was June 19th in Connecticut. He had just missed the cut at the US Open after posting two rounds of 74 and 75. Just six days later, he delivered a magnificent score of 66 in the first round of the Travelers Championship. Since then, he has played 32 rounds of golf, including this Friday in India, with an average score of 67.5. During this period, he has played the Open, Wentworth, or the FedEx Cup Playoffs, so it hasn’t been an easy ride. Simply put, in the last four months, he has been the best player in the world alongside Scottie Scheffler.
Today he demonstrated it again with a scorecard of 64 in the second round of the DP World India Championship at the Delhi Golf Club. He matched yesterday’s magnificent score by Shane Lowry and climbed to the top of the leaderboard with a total of -12. In case you didn’t remember, in these last 139 days of Fleetwood’s golf, he also had time to win four out of the five points he played in the Ryder Cup. If Scheffler and McIlroy deserve to debate the Player of the Year award, it seems there’s no doubt who should be the third.
Fleetwood (-12) has a one-shot lead over Shane Lowry (-11) and Brian Harman (-11). There are excellent views from this high part of the Indian leaderboard. Three shots back, in fourth place, is Englishman Brandon Robinson Thompson (-9), ready to quickly secure his spot for the Dubai Final. Right now, he is exactly in the 50th position of the Race. We’ll see how the table ends up at the end of the day, with the afternoon session still on the course. Let’s see if anyone can catch Fleetwood.
The Spanish Armada made a more than interesting move this Friday. Starting with Pablo Larrazábal (-6), provisionally in the top 10 of the tournament after delivering his second card of 69. It’s the third time this year he starts a tournament with two rounds under 70. The first was in Bahrain, where he almost lifted the tenth. The second was in Wentworth, entering the weekend with chances for everything. The Barcelona native is determined not to lose sight of that final part of the season in Abu Dhabi and Dubai where he is so used to being a protagonist. He will fight for it.
Eugenio Chacarra (-5) also moved into the high zone with a card of 68 this Friday. Good reaction. The Madrid native signed three birdies in the last four holes. A surge that allows him to once again present his candidacy for victory in India. In any case, probably the best news considering what’s at stake is Alfredo García Heredia (-4). The Asturian, with a mix of great shots between the 3rd and 5th and two good putts on the 14th and 16th holes, managed to generate an extra ball in his battle to keep his DP World Tour card. He will still have to work hard over the weekend, but he is well placed and it’s a good opportunity.
Manu Elvira (-3) also secured the cut after signing a 70. The key to his round was that great moment between the 8th and 13th holes, where he managed to make five birdies. This turned around a round start that had put him in a more than delicate situation to play all four days. He remains well placed to get into the Dubai Final.
Finally, Ángel Ayora (-1) fought hard to try to make the cut and will have to wait until the end of the day to see if he succeeds. He shot 69, with two birdies on the 6th and 8th holes (finished on the 9th) that give him some hope. The day’s pace indicates he will be out and the cut will be set at two under par, but you never know how the afternoon might evolve. At least, he managed to give himself a chance with a lot of grit after a double penalty on the 18th hole that seemed to sentence his tournament. Much courage.
