World No 5 and DP World Brand Ambassador Tommy Fleetwood provided the ideal finish to a historic week
Tommy Fleetwood provided a story book ending to the inaugural DP World India Championship at the Delhi Golf Club, finishing at 22-under-par, two shots ahead of Japan’s Keita Nakajima.
The Englishman’s four straight birdies mid-round gave him control, and he calmly parred the 18th to secure victory with a final round 65. Fleetwood, a DP World Brand Ambassador, lifted the Lotus Trophy from Yuvraj Narayan, Group Deputy CEO and CFO of DP World, and pocketed $680,000.
His son Frankie joined him on the green — a touching moment Fleetwood said he had envisioned all week.
Record crowds, bright future
The event drew unprecedented crowds, with thousands lining the fairways to watch Ryder Cup icons McIlroy, Fleetwood, Lowry and Hovland. The atmosphere was electric, inspiring young fans and reflecting India’s growing passion for golf.
The temporary facilities created at Delhi Golf Club including a 3 storey high hospitality chalet structure adjacent to the 18th green, set new standards for the staging of a tournament in India. The huge Airconditioned DGC members enclosure, which could seat 250 guests, was another eye opener, as was the spectator village.
Indian challenge – the event’s only weakness
In the past, Delhi Golf Club, a course which traditionally favours precision over power, has seen Indian players in contention at every big international tournament held here in the past. However, in stark exposure of the weakening men’s challenge in world golf, in contrast to the prior week’s European Tour women’s event which saw 3 Indians finish in the top 5, no challenge was mounted at Delhi GC this year as tour veteran Shiv Kapur was the best Indian at T32, with only 5 Indians making the cut out of 23 who started the week. Young PGTI stars like current No 1 Yuvraj Sandhu missed the cut.