Browsing: Fleetwood

Welcome back to the Monday Finish, where we’re taking driver out of the bag — but hitting tee shots into the jungle anyway. To the golf news!

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Tommy Fleetwood wins Act III.

When Tommy Fleetwood won the DP World India Championship on Sunday, he made his son Frankie’s dreams come true.

Recently Frankie mentioned he’s never been able to run onto the green to celebrate one of his father’s wins. Tommy literally wrote his son’s quote down — “You have never won and I’ve run onto the green” — and then, within the week, made that happen. Tommy Fleetwood is a terrific golfer. He’s also apparently an even better dad. What did you do for your kid this weekend?

But the win wasn’t just cool for Frankie. This was another special moment in what has become two months of special moments as Tommy has put together the best stretch of his golfing life.

This is a story of resilience. Think about the moment in late June, when Fleetwood limped in with bogey at the Travelers Championship and Keegan Bradley made birdie to win. At that point Fleetwood was famous for the fact that on the PGA Tour, he just couldn’t quite get it done. And if he’d allowed it to, that could have been a dark enough moment that it consumed him. Instead? He used it to kickstart a special stretch. Think of what happened in the weeks and months that followed:

-He finished top four in all three FedEx Cup playoff events…
-…including a win at the Tour Championship, his first on the PGA Tour
-He was the only player on either team to win four points at the Ryder Cup, where he led Europe to victory
-He won the DP World India Championship
-He’s now cracked the top five in the OWGR, while advanced analytics suggest he’s even better than that; DataGolf has him up to No. 2 in the world

Along the way he (and his family!) have completed impressive side quests. Frankie delivered the quote of the year at the Masters (his declaration that he was “trying my hardest” was inspiration for everyone, everywhere). Tommy has delivered enough philosophical gems of his own that he could start a cult, or at least a self-help podcast (he described this Sunday as “another opportunity to show a good attitude”). He even stunned in traditional Indian attire at a tournament party this weekend, where he looked like royalty (and further reinforced the idea that Tommy Fleetwood would do well wherever you put him).

Fleetwood’s latest accomplishment also completes a fascinating third act of this year in men’s professional golf. Rory McIlroywas the clear star of the first act; he won at Pebble Beach, won the Players and won the Masters to complete the career grand slam. Scottie Scheffler was the clear star of Act II, winning two majors and a half-dozen times in all as he put even more space between himself and the rest of the world. I posed this question during the FedEx Cup playoffs — behind McIlroy and Scheffler, who’s the PGA Tour’s third-biggest star? It wasn’t long before we got our answer. Fleetwood has established himself as the champion of Act III. Soon we’ll put the pressure back on him to win a major, but in the meantime he’s the clear winner of this post-majors season.

And perhaps the best father, too.

WINNERS

Who won the week?

Tommy Fleetwood won the DP World India Championship; he also moved up to No. 25 on the DP World Tour’s Order of Merit. (Oddly enough he’d been lights out on the PGA Tour but struggled in his European starts this season.)

Sei Young Kimwon the LPGA’s BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea; it was her 13th LPGA Tour victory but her first in five years — since she won the Women’s PGA Championship in 2020.

Justin Leonard won the PGA Tour Champions’ Dominion Energy Charity Classic with an eagle on the 18th hole at the Country Club of Virginia.

SHORT HITTERS

10 golf things on my mind.

1. Let’s start here: I’m worried about the start of next year’s PGA Tour season. We’d been trying to read the tea leaves about a replacement venue for The Sentry, but it now seems at serious risk of … not happening at all? Bob Harig of Sports Illustratedcompiled some evidence including some telling commentary from Mark Rolfing on the Fried Egg podcast. More to come here — this feels like a story that’s partly about The Sentry and partly about the future of the PGA Tour at large.

2. Viktor Hovland addressed the Ryder Cup’s “Envelope Rule” and handled the situation well. I had no issue with the deployment of the rule this Ryder Cup (I was fascinated by the rule in advance of the competition!) but I do think both that rule and the rule that you can tie and “retain” the cup are outdated. Instead I think the Ryder Cup should steal a suggestion from our Jessica Marksbury: The only name in an envelope should be the player (maybe players?) who will go represent your team in a sudden-death shootout in the event of a tie.

3. Speaking of Hovland — plenty of these guys travel the world and see very little besides the airport, the golf course and the four walls of their hotel room. But not Hovland, who explored Delhi via tuk tuk and also leaned into the tournament’s Diwali celebration.

“The food is very different, just — everything is very different. It takes a little bit of time to get used to, but I’ve definitely embraced it this week because I just really love going to see new places, and India is definitely one of my favorite places I’ve been to,” he said after a T6 finish. “I love it.”

i like to think Viktor Hovland didn’t hit a single shot in practice this week and instead has just been wandering around Delhi Golf Club investigating tombs pic.twitter.com/1fUrXLMZea

— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) October 15, 2025

4. Keita Nakajima, the former longtime World No. 1 amateur, was the 54-hole leader in India and went on to finish second. It’s been a feast-or-famine season for Nakajima on the DP World Tour; he has three runner-up finishes, three more top-11 finishes and just two other finishes better than T40 in 22 starts. But he’s now just inside the bubble to earn one of the DP World Tour’s 10 PGA Tour cards for 2026. At World No. 101 he’s also the second highest ranked Japanese player in the world behind Hideki Matsuyama.

5. A whopping 42 percent of the field used no driver at the short, tight, jungle-lined Delhi Golf Club, including Fleetwood, Hovland and Rory McIlroy. It’s certainly not an all-out fix for golf’s distance problem — but as someone who often plays Seattle’s bowling alley-style golf courses, it was refreshing to see that there are some holes too scary for these guys to hit driver.

6. The LPGA’s Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown kicks off this week and could make for some late-night West-Coast viewing (Saturday’s semifinals air on Golf Channel at 7:30 p.m. ET, while Sunday’s final airs at midnight). I’m struck by the evenness of the four-player teams; womens’ golf is remarkably deep in the U.S. but also Japan, South Korea, Australia, Thailand and Sweden — and there’s a “World Team” that’s as talented as anybody. (The event will also certainly suffer from the absence of World No. 2 Nelly Korda, who remains the sport’s biggest draw.)

7. Neither played this week but it’s fascinating to see two Swedes at very different points in their career — Ludvig Aberg at 25 and Alex Noren at 43 — adjacent each other at Nos. 16 and 17 in the OWGR.

8. This week’s Bank of Utah Championship may be my favorite fall venue; it’s red-rock, high-desert golf at its most stunning and should make for some compelling evening viewing. It’s a distinctly “fall” field, with Maverick McNealy, Michael Thorbjornsen and Noren as tournament favorites, but there are plenty of names you’ll know teeing it up: Jason Day, Max Homa, Billy Horschel, Sahith Theegala, Joel Dahmen.

9. Good Good Golf announced they’re sponsoring a PGA Tour event in Austin next fall. This is fascinating for one obvious reason — wait, the YouTubers are now in the business of sponsoring the Tour?! — but also because it’s interesting to see the Tour continue to double down on its fall season and also return to Austin.

10. Our Nick Piastowski and producer Darren Riehl visited Cedar Creek Corrections Center in Washington for an inspiring story called Golf Behind Bars; it’s worth your time.

NEWS FROM SEATTLE

Monday Finish HQ.

The Mariners are in Game 7 of the ALCS. The Seahawks are playing in Monday Night Football. The weather is getting worse but oh boy are the sports getting better. (Even the Kraken are playing tonight!)

This feels like an exceedingly rare combination, especially because this is such a lovable Mariners team and the Seahawks are an unexpected delight. I’ve maintained my New England fandom so I feel sort of one step removed from complete emotional investment, but still — this is awesome. Go Ms.

We’ll see you next week!

Dylan Dethier welcomes your comments at dylan_dethier@golf.com.

Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss another Tommy Fleetwood victory, a unique tournament venue, the LPGA’s latest champion and more.

Tommy Fleetwood won the DP World India Championship to earn his second victory in his last four starts (not to mention his Ryder Cup dominance). Now no longer worried about securing his first PGA Tour win (and save for the World No. 1), is there a player primed for a more dominant 2026 than Fleetwood?

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): The stars certainly seem to be aligning for a Fleetwood breakout. He had a few close calls even before he finally won the Tour Championship, so it’s not like the last few months have been a fluke. The guy can ball-strike with the best of them, which is a good way to always stay in contention. But it’s also important to remember guys have gotten hot and looked ready to tear up the golf world before, only to disappear. (Viktor Hovland won back-to-back playoff events in August 2023 and didn’t win again for 19 months.) I don’t expect a Scottie-like 2026, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Fleetwood picked off two or even three wins next year.

Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): Amazing how wins so often beget more wins. Fleetwood is the latest case in point, and not necessarily because his game is any better than it was a year ago — but more so because he’s leading the Tour in SG: Confidence. We’ll see if that magic stays with him through the offseason. As he said himself on Sunday, “I know form doesn’t last forever, but I’m trying to make myself the most consistent player I can be.” But, yes, to answer the question, he’s incredibly well positioned for 2026. Another guy I’m excited to see in action next year: Cameron Young. Curious if his impressive Ryder Cup will give him a shot of sustained confidence.

Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@jess_marksbury): It’s always interesting when players get hot in the fall and winter to see if they can sustain the momentum into the next summer major season. Although, as Josh mentioned, it’s not as though Tommy is coming out of nowhere. He’s been a favorite pick at the majors even before his PGA Tour breakthrough. But Tommy does seem to come on especially strong in Ryder Cup years. So let’s revisit this in 2027! As for next year, I’m looking forward to keeping my eye on another solid European: Alex Noren, who won two DP World Tour titles this year and is projected to earn his PGA Tour card for next season.

Fleetwood beat out a handful of stars to win on a narrow Delhi Golf Club, where it was reported that 42 percent of the field played without a driver. Should the PGA Tour visit more courses where players are forced to be more strategic off the tee? And how often?

Berhow: Delhi Golf Club is a pretty extreme example — I don’t want Rory hitting zero drivers! — but it should definitely happen more, as playing sound, strategic golf and hitting clubs the course might call for is a skill, just as much as it is to bomb driver all around the property. It gives more players a chance too. Years ago I remember Kevin Kisner rattling off a list of courses he felt he couldn’t win on simply due to the distance required off the tee. How realistic it is though is another question. Lots of logistics go into picking a Tour venue — a sponsor, the TV production, etc. — and sometimes the type of golf course isn’t always the main focus.

Bastable: Power should be a competitive advantage in golf so, yeah, it would be unfair to suddenly inject the Tour schedule with a bunch more tight and tree-choked sites. Still, this week in New Delhi was a fun reminder that there’s more than one way to test elite players who can hit a driver 330 yards, and some of the players seemed to really dig the challenge. “I like courses like this a lot more because you just hit a variety of different clubs more often,” Ben Griffin said early in the week, “whereas in America we’re so used to hitting maybe drivers and wedges a lot more.”

Marksbury: Playing a round of golf without a driver is something I will never be able to relate to! Years ago, a USGA official told me that the objective for the course setup for the U.S. Open was not necessarily to provide the most tortuous test, but for players to utilize every club in the bag over the course of the tournament. I like that idea, and I am definitely in favor of promoting more courses (or setups) where that’s possible. Six or seven times a year would be nice.

Rory McIlroy was among the players who kept the driver out of the bag and tied for 26th in India. When course setup limits drivers, is McIlroy at the biggest disadvantage?

Berhow: Although Scottie Scheffler leads the Tour in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, I think most would argue McIlroy with a driver in hand is one of the best shows in golf, and it might be the single club that gives one player an advantage more than any other (Scottie with an iron a close second?). That said, Rory didn’t win a career grand slam by simply hitting driver, but he does probably do the most with it.

Bastable: I think it was probably less a case of the setup not suiting McIlroy’s skill sets and more a case of the target-style of golf really suiting other players, notably Tommy Fleetwood, who said the course “set up perfectly for me.” Interestingly, if you look at McIlory’s 10 bogeys from the week, most were caused not by loose tee shots but by missing greens or pins on the wrong side.

Marksbury: I agree with both of my colleagues here. Eliminating driver is a bummer for a player with so much prowess off the tee. But at the end of the day, you’re hitting way more approaches and putts than you are tee shots. So whatever advantage McIlroy was losing was still somewhat minimal, in my mind.

Sei Young Kim won the BMW Ladies Championship to become the 27th different winner on the LPGA Tour this season, where there’s been just one two-time winner on the year (Jeeno Thitikul, who won her second event, the LPGA Shanghai, a week ago). With only five tournaments remaining, how do you analyze the current player-of-the-year race?

Berhow: Jeeno Thitikul is the obvious front-runner as the only player with multiple wins, and her season’s been great beyond those weeks. She’s missed just one cut all year and has 12 top-10 finishes. Since this is decided based on points, the CME Group Tour Championship might end up deciding the whole thing. We didn’t have that drama last year with Nelly Korda running away with this.

Marksbury: Agree, Josh. That 27 first-time winner stat is incredible. It really speaks to how deep the talent runs on the LPGA Tour, and as you mentioned, Jeeno may have only two wins, but she’s contended nearly every time she’s teed it up, notched four runner-ups and would be very deserving of the crown, even without a major title this year.

Bastable: To put Jeeno’s consistency in perspective, she is 120 points ahead of the second-ranked player on the Rolex list, Nelly Korda — while Korda has only a 20-point lead on the third spot, held by Minjee Lee. In other words, Thitikul is miles ahead of her peer. Only blemish on her 2025 resume came at the U.S. Women’s Open, where she missed her only cut of the year.

Playing for the first time since he withdrew from Sunday singles and evoked the now-controversial “envelope rule” at the Ryder Cup, Viktor Hovland called the situation “upsetting” but added he doesn’t see an easy fix for the rule. OK fair. But what Ryder Cup rule would you change?

Berhow: Easy — pick the matchups like they do at the Presidents Cup, where the captains alternate their selections. That way, as long as the captains play ball, we can get a little more drama infused into the event. (And drama that doesn’t include boneheaded fans.)

Bastable: In the case of a tie at the end of singles, institute a three-hole aggregate-score playoff, pitting one player from each team selected by their respective captain. Unlike the envelope rule, though, the playoff reps would be selected in advance. The captains would pick them in the moment so, should they wish, they can nominate not necessarily their best player but the hottest one.

Marksbury: The Ryder Cup is nearly perfect, but I don’t like the “retention” rule if there’s a tie. We need a result! The envelope should be used to nominate one player from each team to face off in a sudden-death playoff for the whole thing.

Oct 19, 2025, 07:26 AM ET

NEW DELHI — Tommy Fleetwood’s best season got even better Sunday when he ran off four straight birdies around the turn and closed with a 7-under 65 for a two-shot victory over Keita Nakajima in the India Championship.

Fleetwood had cause to celebrate for the third time in the past three months: the FedEx Cup title with his first win on U.S. soil, the leading points-earner in another win for Team Europe in the Ryder Cup and now his first European tour win of the year.

Nakajima had a two-shot lead to start the final round at Delhi Golf Club and played bogey-free. He just couldn’t keep pace with Fleetwood, who made four straight birdies starting at the par-3 seventh to turn a two-shot deficit into a two-shot lead.

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“I feel like for all the good that’s happened this year, a couple of things have disappointed me,” Fleetwood said. “Another win, it feels great.”

Even after another Ryder Cup highlight, the 34-year-old from England felt he had more to achieve this year, and winning on the European tour — his eighth career tour win — was high on his list. Fleetwood, for all his success on the PGA Tour this year, was still not eligible for the closing two events on the European schedule.

Now he is. The victory moves him from No. 94 to No. 25 in the Race to Dubai, making him eligible for the Abu Dhabi Championship and season-ending Tour Championship in Dubai.

Most pleasing to Fleetwood was watching his 8-year-old son, Frankie, run onto the 18th green after he tapped in for par to finish at 22-under 266.

They were playing golf recently when Fleetwood said his son told him he had never won a tournament where the boy could run out to green to greet him.

“All day today, I had in my mind, ‘Could I put myself in position to make that happen?'” Fleetwood said. “It’s just one of those little things it means a lot to me. It means so much to me. That was really cool. That’s what I wanted to do all day.”

Nakajima struggled with accuracy off the tee when he needed to make up ground late in the final round, though he holed enough putts to stay close. He shot 69 and moved into the top 10 on the list of European tour players who would be eligible for PGA Tour cards next year.

Shane Lowry (68), Thriston Lawrence (65) and Alex Fitzpatrick (67) tied for third at 270.

Rory McIlroy, playing in India for the first time in his career, birdied his final hole for a 71 to finish in a tie for 26th, 11 shots behind Fleetwood.

Tommy Fleetwood held off Japan’s Keita Nakajima to secure a two-shot victory in the DP World India Championship – and celebrated an eighth DP Tour win with son Frankie on the 18th green.

Fleetwood, who had ended his long wait for a first PGA Tour title at the Tour Championship to claim the FedEx Cup in August, produced a superb seven-under final round of 65 to finish at 22-under in Delhi.

Nakajima had been two strokes ahead going into Sunday, but could only manage three birdies as he signed for a 69. He ended two ahead of a three-man group of Ireland’s Shane Lowry, England’s Alex Fitzpatrick and the South African Thriston Lawrence, who also made 65 – which included an eagle on the 14th.

New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier had looked to also be in contention after going into the turn six-under for the day – only for a double-bogey seven on the par-five 14th to scupper his chances, with more dropped shots at the next and then again on 18. The Masters champion, Rory McIlroy, placed in a tie for 26th at 11 under, finishing with a final round of 71, which had two bogeys on the front nine and another at the 14th.

Fleetwood, who rattled off four successive birdies from the seventh, was happy to get another long overdue individual tournament victory under his belt – and make the most of a special family moment.

“I had said for all the good that has happened this year, a couple of things have disappointed me, that my DP World Tour sort of has, so another win feels great,†the Southport golfer said in an interview on the DP Tour website.

England’s Tommy Fleetwood savours his first DP World Tour win since January 2024. Photograph: Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images

“We were at home last week and we were driving the buggy. I think we were playing golf together, and he (Frankie) just said randomly: ‘Do you know what you’ve never done?’ He said: ‘You’ve never won a tournament and I’ve been able to run on to the 18th green’. I was like: ‘I’m writing that down’, so I had that written down all week.

“It was just another opportunity really, there is going to be many more times where I hopefully get the chance to do that. But all day today, I had in my mind could I put myself in a position where I can actually make that moment happen?

“It is just one of those little things, it means a lot to me. It means so much to me. That was really cool, that is what I wanted to do all day.â€

So maybe the jungles lining Delhi Golf Club’s narrow fairways aren’t so penal after all. Or at least the one on the left side of the 18th hole wasn’t on Saturday for Tommy Fleetwood.

Fleetwood, the 36-hole leader, had become a chaser after Keita Nakajima posted a bogey-free 65 to hold a three-shot lead at the DP World India Championship as Fleetwood finished his third round.

Both players were among the nearly 50% field this week, playing without a driver on a unique Delhi Golf Club layout that is basically cut into the jungle just outside one of the world’s largest cities. The fairways at the 6,912-yard course average just 25 yards wide.

Fleetwood nearly found out just what happens after an errant shot on his final hole Saturday. From the left first cut of rough at the finishing hole, Fleetwood went for the par-5 green in two with a long iron on the course’s longest hole and pulled it further left toward the thicket.

The crowd was quiet as Fleetwood’s ball headed toward what could have been a best-case unplayable lie and likely lost ball, but as it turns out, having thick jungle just off the fairway acts as a bumper sometimes.

In a genius stroke of luck, Fleetwood’s ball ricocheted off the trees and kicked right back into the middle of the fairway, just in front of the par-5 green in two.

From there, Fleetwood got up-and-down for birdie, regaining the shot he dropped with a three-putt on 17 and will go into Sunday’s final round at 15 under, in solo second, two back of Nakajima.

On a course where players fear an errant shot like no other venue we’ve seen in modern times, Fleetwood ended up a birdie after his worst shot of the week.

“Focus on that really good stuff and know that if I play like that, I’ve got a really good chance of scoring and shooting a good round,” he said of his position going into Sunday’s final round. “Two behind is kind of close enough where I’m still in control of it a little bit. Keita is not far enough ahead where he’s completely in control.”

Also in the hunt is Fleetwood’s Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry, who is just a shot further back at 14 under before a four-way tie at 13 that includes 2023 Open Championship winner Brian Harman.

I’m in a great position in this tournament. I like the golf course,” said Lowry, one player who is playing a driver this week. “I think it suits me, and I think I’ll have a low score out there. I’ve already shown that once this week. I’ll need a low one tomorrow to try and win.”

NEW DEHLI — Keita Nakajima shot a bogey-free, 7-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead at DP World India Championship after the third round Saturday, moving in sight of his second title on the European tour.

The 25-year-old Nakajima, a former top-ranked amateur, has two European Ryder Cup stars as his nearest challengers with Tommy Fleetwood (69) in second place and Shane Lowry (69) a stroke back in third.

No. 2-ranked Rory McIlroy, the main attraction at Delhi Golf Club, shot 68 and was in a tie for 15th place — seven strokes off the lead heading into the final round.

“I’m probably two shots too far behind to have a realistic chance,†McIlroy said.

Nakajima birdied four of his first eight holes, and then three in a row from No. 12 over a combined 70 feet to jump clear of then-leader Fleetwood. He parred his way home to retain the lead in his bid for a first title on the tour since March 2024, which also came in India at the Hero Indian Open.

Nakajima said the secret to his good third round was being able to watch his playing partner, Lowry.

“I love his swing tempo,†Nakajima said, “and I copied him. So that’s why my swing (was) better than yesterday. And mindset was great.â€

Fleetwood held the overnight lead, birdied two of his first three holes and also the par-5 No. 8. His only bogey came at the 17th after three-putting from 30 feet, but he made amends with a birdie at the last to make it into the final group.

“Keita is not far enough ahead where he’s completely in control,†said Fleetwood, who won the Tour Championship on the PGA Tour in August and was the top points scorer for Europe in its Ryder Cup victory last month.

“Just go into tomorrow, enjoy it. Final group is always great. You’ve got to enjoy those moments. You don’t know when they’re going to come again.â€

Oct 17, 2025, 08:07 AM ET

NEW DELHI — Tommy Fleetwood kept up his strong finish to the season by shooting an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead at the halfway point of the DP World India Championship as Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy battled to stay in contention Friday.

Over the past two months, Fleetwood has won the Tour Championship for his first PGA Tour title — picking up $10 million as the FedEx Cup champion in the process — and been the top points scorer at the Ryder Cup retained by Team Europe.

Now the Englishman, up to No. 5 in the world rankings, is leading perhaps the most prestigious golf tournament ever to be staged in India after making eight birdies in a bogey-free second round to jump to 12-under par for the week.

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Fleetwood’s last birdie — from 8 feet at his last, No. 9 — left him clear of former Open champions Shane Lowry (69) and Brian Harman (65), who were tied for second place.

Fleetwood described the course at the tight, tree-lined Delhi Golf Club as a “unique challenge for all of us.”

“I haven’t hit more than a 5-wood,” he said. “It’s a test of patience. … If you hit it good off the tee, you’re going to have some short irons and wedges, and [you] feel like you’ve always got a chance to get it wrong. It’s such a waiting game.”

A further three shots back was Ben Griffin, a rookie for the Americans at the Ryder Cup, in a tie for seventh place at 8 under.

McIlroy, who again didn’t put his driver in his bag, had back-to-back bogeys early in his back nine but responded by making birdie at four of his final six holes to shoot a second straight 69. He was at 6 under, along with fellow European team member Viktor Hovland (67).

As the No. 2-ranked McIlroy walked off No. 18 at the tree-lined Delhi Golf Club, he removed his cap and shook hands with India cricket great Sachin Tendulkar, a special guest for the tournament, at the back of the green.

“It was a strong finish, got myself sort of back in the tournament. I need a strong start tomorrow,” McIlroy said.

Asked if he would be changing his strategy off the tee over the weekend to get more aggressive in a bid to chase down Fleetwood, McIlroy said: “I don’t think so. I think if I’m struggling to hit fairways with my 2-iron, I’m not going to hit it with my driver.

“Same strategy. Just have to hit it a little closer with my second shots and not miss as many putts.”

NEW DELHI — Tommy Fleetwood kept up his strong finish to the season by shooting 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead at the halfway point of the DP World India Championship as Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy battled to stay in contention on Friday.

Over the last two months, Fleetwood has won the Tour Championship for his first PGA Tour title — picking up $10 million as the FedExCup champion in the process — and been the top points scorer at the Ryder Cup won by Team Europe.

Now the Englishman — up to No. 5 in the world rankings — is leading perhaps the most prestigious golf tournament ever to be staged in India after making eight birdies in a bogey-free second round to jump to 12 under par for the week.

Fleetwood’s last birdie — from 8 feet at his last, No. 9 — left him clear of former Open champions Shane Lowry (69) and Brian Harman (65), who were tied for second place.

A further three shots back was Ben Griffin, a rookie for the Americans at the recent Ryder Cup, in a tie for seventh place on 8 under.

McIlroy had back-to-back bogeys early in his back nine but responded by making birdie at four of his final six holes to shoot a second straight 69 and was at 6 under, along with fellow European team member Viktor Hovland (67).

As No. 2-ranked McIlroy walked off No. 18 at the tree-lined Delhi Golf Club, he removed his cap and shook hands with India cricket great Sachin Tendulkar — a special guest for the tournament — at the back of the green.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The Skins Game is coming back to the golf calendar after 17 years, with a few new aspects.

The Skins Game will be played on the Friday after Thanksgiving. As it did when it started in 1983, it will feature among the top six golfers in the world: Ryder Cup star and FedEx Cup champion Tommy Fleetwood, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele.

The Skins Game returns to the golfing calendar on Black Friday, and will include FedEx Cup champion Tommy Fleetwood, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele. David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images

What’s new: The Skins Game is moving from the California desert to South Florida and will be broadcast on Prime Video instead of network TV.

It will be held at Panther National, a new course in Florida that opened two years ago and was designed by Thomas and Jack Nicklaus. Bradley, Schauffele and Thomas all live in the area.

The Skins Game, which began in 1983 with some of golf’s biggest stars, was last played in 2008 and won by K.J. Choi. It was the cornerstone of what once was known as the “silly season” in golf. It began in 1983 with Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Gary Player (Vin Scully was the announcer) and held over Thanksgiving weekend in California.

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The new Skins Game will have a similar format. A player wins the dollar amount for each hole, and it carries over if the hole is tied. The difference is a “reverse purse,” in which all four players start with $1 million and their fortunes rise or fall with every hole won or lost.

Coverage will start at 9 a.m. This is the second golf event for Prime, which last month announced it would stream two additional hours of weekday coverage at the Masters.

Bethpage Black became Bethpage blue. Europe had waited 21 years to lead at the end of a Ryder Cup’s opening day on American soil. In 2004, they romped to victory at Oakland Hills. There should be no sense of a similar procession for Luke Donald and his 2025 contingent. Nonetheless, the strength of Europe’s early performance in New York felt hugely significant. It is Keegan Bradley, the US captain, who does not have his troubles to seek. Europe won two sessions out of two, including five of the first six matches.

“We have only played 28% of the points,†said a bullish Bradley. “This is first quarter. We’ve still got three quarters to go. I’ve got a lot of faith in my boys.†As shadows lengthened, the final joust of the day became the most captivating. Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry faced Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns in a fourball contest that ebbed and flowed quite wonderfully. Europe had taken the foursome element by 3-1, with two more points subsequently secured. Bradley was cheered only by Cameron Young and Justin Thomas dismissing Ludvig Åberg and Rasmus Højgaard. Could Cantlay and Burns spare some blushes?

Lowry, McIlroy and Burns had putts for threes on the last. The score could flip between 5-3 and 6-2 depending on the success or otherwise of them. Lowry left his short. Burns missed to the right. McIlroy, once again central to epic theatre, had 12ft to win the match. The Masters champion watched his attempt slide agonisingly by the left of the hole. Europe’s 5 ½ plays 2 ½ for the USA.

McIlroy soon acknowledged disappointment but admitted the European team would have bitten hands off for this scenario before a ball was struck. The visitors will be strong favourites to prevail again in Saturday’s morning foursomes.

“We all knew how important it was to get off to a good start,†Donald said. “To win again this afternoon was another tick in a box. I am very happy with where we are.â€

Scottie Scheffler endured a miserable day at the office. It concluded on the 16th green in partnership with JJ Spaun, losing to Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka. Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood were one down to Ben Griffin and Bryson DeChambeau after 10. The Englishmen rallied brilliantly to prevail on the final green. Fleetwood’s putting over the closing stretch was magnificent.

McIlroy and Lowry looked safe when two up on the 12th tee. A McIlroy putt somehow stayed above ground after a 360 degree circuit of the cup at the 13th, as the Americans won back-to-back holes to square the match. Both sides had chances thereafter but a half point each was ultimately fair.

Bradley is already facing criticism. And no wonder. Picking foursomes as the first session worked for the Americans at Whistling Straits but they already had so many advantages in that Ryder Cup. Here, with the teams closely matched, Bradley surely erred in starting with a format Europe excel in. Donald and his players had an opportunity to gain early momentum which they did not waste. Bradley publicly insisted at lunchtime that the arrival of Donald Trump on Air Force One would assist his team. Yes, he really was that desperate.

Rory McIlroy shows his emotion during the foursomes win against Collin Morikawa and Harris English. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

Statistical gurus had determined that Collin Morikawa and Harris English was the worst combination the US could deploy in a foursomes contest. What did Bradley do? In the penultimate game of the morning, McIlroy and Fleetwood hammered Morikawa and English 5&4. The Europeans had been five up after eight.

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There was a similar canter for Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick in their foursomes clash with Scheffler and Russell Henley. Europe took this one 5&3. Donald struck gold with this pairing, which was heavily influenced by Europe’s use of data analysis.

Rahm, the star of day one, combined with Tyrrell Hatton in the first match of this Ryder Cup to defeat DeChambeau and Thomas, 4&3. DeChambeau cracked a drive to within a flick of the 1st green. Two shots later, the USA were one up. DeChambeau and Thomas failed to win another hole. For all DeChambeau’s noise, for all DeChambeau’s fuss, he lost two out of two on Friday. “Luck is on their side right now,†said the Californian. Saucer of milk, Bryson?

Foursomes solace for the hosts came in the final match, where Xander Schauffele and Cantlay defeated Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland, 2up. MacIntyre was distracted by a spectator shot during his tee shot backswing at the 17th, a crucial moment which allowed the US to edge in front.

There have already been too many similar interferences from those with outside the ropes carrying big mouths and much smaller brains. Generally, though, Europe’s showing has punctured the New York mood. Donald will be aware this is already a glorious opportunity to make history.