Imagine this: Tommy Fleetwood, the unflappable Englishman, is on fire at the DP World India Championship, surging ahead and putting pressure on golf's elite—including his Ryder Cup buddy Rory McIlroy—to dig deep just to stay in the hunt. It's the kind of drama that keeps fans glued to the screen, wondering if anyone can catch this momentum machine.
Reported by the Associated Press on October 17, 2025, at 8:07 AM ET from the bustling heart of New Delhi, Fleetwood's incredible run shows no signs of slowing down. For those new to golf, the Ryder Cup is like the Olympics of the sport—a fierce team competition between Europe and the U.S. that happens every two years, where players rack up points through matches to help their side win. Fleetwood has been a standout there, and now he's channeling that energy into this tournament.
In the last couple of months, Fleetwood has been on an absolute tear. He clinched his very first PGA Tour victory at the Tour Championship, which also crowned him the FedEx Cup champion—for the uninitiated, the FedEx Cup is a season-long points race on the PGA Tour, with the winner pocketing a whopping $10 million bonus. On top of that, he led the scoring for Team Europe in their successful defense of the Ryder Cup title. Now, climbing to No. 5 in the Official World Golf Ranking (a global measure of the top players based on their performances worldwide), Fleetwood is spearheading what many are calling the most high-profile golf event ever hosted in India.
His secret? A flawless second round where he carded an 8-under-par 64, highlighted by eight birdies—no bogeys to spoil the party. For beginners, a birdie means scoring one stroke under par on a hole, and par is the standard number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to take. This effort propelled him to a commanding 12-under par total midway through the tournament, giving him a one-stroke edge over the field.
That final birdie? A clutch 8-foot putt on the ninth hole, sealing his lead and edging out past Open Championship winners Shane Lowry, who posted a solid 69, and Brian Harman, who fired a hot 65. They're now sharing second place. Lowry and Harman, both major champions (the Open is one of golf's four biggest tournaments), know a thing or two about pressure, but Fleetwood's precision is making it tough.
Fleetwood couldn't praise the Delhi Golf Club enough, calling it a 'unique challenge' that tests every part of a player's game. Picture this: a narrow, tree-lined layout where the fairways—those manicured paths you aim to land your ball on after teeing off—are squeezed tight by lush foliage. 'I haven't needed anything longer than a 5-wood off the tee,' he shared with a grin. A 5-wood is a club for longer shots but less powerful than a driver, ideal for accuracy over distance. He added that it's all about patience: 'If you strike the ball well from the tee, you'll face shorter irons and wedges into the greens, but there's always that nagging feeling you could mess it up. It's like a chess match—waiting for the right moment to strike.' This setup demands control rather than raw power, which suits Fleetwood's steady style perfectly.
Lurking three strokes behind in a tie for seventh at 8-under is Ben Griffin, the fresh-faced American who made his Ryder Cup debut recently. Griffin's rise is a reminder that new talent can shake things up in this sport.
Now, onto Rory McIlroy, the world No. 2 and a four-time major winner who's no stranger to the spotlight. But here's where it gets controversial: McIlroy opted to leave his driver—a club designed for maximum distance off the tee—in the bag again, sticking to a more conservative 2-iron for control on this tricky course. Early on his back nine (the final nine holes of an 18-hole round), he stumbled with back-to-back bogeys, which are strokes over par and can snowball into bigger problems. Yet, true to form, he bounced back fiercely, nailing birdies on four of his last six holes for another even-par 69. That puts him at 6-under for the tournament, tied with fellow European Ryder Cup teammate Viktor Hovland, who shot a 67.
As McIlroy stepped off the 18th green, he doffed his cap and shared a warm handshake with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, a VIP guest adding star power to the event. Tendulkar, often called the 'God of Cricket' in India, bridges the worlds of two massive sports, making this moment extra special for local fans.
Reflecting on his round, McIlroy said, 'It was a solid finish that got me back into contention. I just need to come out strong tomorrow to build on this.' When pressed on whether he'd switch to a more aggressive tee strategy over the weekend to close the gap on Fleetwood—maybe unleashing that driver for extra yards—he was firm: 'Nah, I don't think so. If I'm having trouble finding fairways with my 2-iron, a driver would make it worse—it's even harder to control.' He plans to stick with the same approach, focusing on nailing approach shots closer to the pin and sinking more putts to avoid those missed opportunities.
And this is the part most people miss: In a tournament this tight and tree-trapped, is McIlroy's safe play a smart hedge against disaster, or is it costing him the birdie fest he needs to challenge Fleetwood? Fleetwood's bogey-free magic feels unstoppable, but golf's history is full of comebacks—remember how McIlroy has turned deficits into triumphs before? It's a bold bet on patience in a game that rewards boldness too. What do you think—should Rory go big with the driver and risk it all, or is his steady strategy the key to victory here? Drop your thoughts in the comments below; I'd love to hear if you're Team Fleetwood's precision or Team McIlroy's grit!
