Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry, teammates during Europe’s recent Ryder Cup victory and some of the big names at the marquee DP World India Championship being held in New Delhi this week, had bantered amongst themselves about what it may be like to keep playing together in the draw while attempting a title tilt here.
Irishman Lowry held the clubhouse lead at the end of the first round and stayed close after it was usurped by Fleetwood, the in-form World No. 5 from England, on Friday. After moving day on Saturday, both stay firmly in the hunt but neither lead the pack.
Instead it is Keita Nakajima, the 25-year-old from Japan, who stormed into the lead ahead of the final round after carding a sensational bogey free seven-under 65 here on Saturday leaving him with a cumulative score of 17-under. He’s two strokes ahead of Fleetwood in second and three ahead of Lowry in third.
It sets up the possibility for a photo finish on Sunday nicely, paying patrons of the biggest golf tournament in the country’s history likely to witness an intriguing cat-and-mouse chase for the victory.
“The fans have been amazing. Again, another part of the world where I feel really blessed and really grateful to have the support and the connection with the people that I’ve had this week, and it’s been an absolute pleasure and honour to play in front of the people and bring golf and a huge tournament to India and the Indian people. Really excited about tomorrow,” Fleetwood said on Saturday.
Nakajima positively loves India. His only DP World Tour victory came at the Indian Open in 2024, and he came in second this year in a valiant title defence. Prior to that, he had held the World No. 1 amateur ranking for a record 87 weeks, a feat that earned him his debut at each of the Majors. A second title in what is turning out to be his favourite country to participate in is within reach.
“I’m looking forward to playing with the top players in the world tomorrow. Same mindset, same swing. Yeah, just play golf,” the Japanese international said on Saturday.
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The crowd turnout on Saturday remained healthy just as it has been throughout the week, but it was less centred around Rory McIlroy, this tournament and world golf’s biggest star, with some spectators preferring to follow Fleetwood and Nakajima too. McIlroy carded a solid four-under 68 to finish at 10-under after three rounds, sitting in tied 10th, seven strokes behind Nakajima, going into the final day with only an outside chance.
The Northern Irishman had been in far superior form here on Saturday, but he paid for missing crucial short putts on birdie chances. The trend would be seen during Fleetwood’s and Lowry’s rounds too, and it is where Nakajima held the edge.
The 25-year-old holds compatriot Hideki Matsuyama and Tiger Woods as his idols. It was evident in his aggressive golf, and relentless desire to keep going for low scores. He hit three sensational putts for birdies on the front nine, and got three of them back-to-back on the back nine by making perfect use of straight, pinpoint approach shots.
Nakajima’s 2024 win was at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram, a treacherous and infamous course with all of its water and bunkering and slippery greens. The Lodhi-course at the famous old Delhi Golf Club is not quite the same, it plays far easier, but has the possibility to bite back.
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Birdie chances appear but mistakes are very likely too, given its narrow fairways and difficulties to get out of the rough if you miss. So discipline and not slipping up are key: Fleetwood has gone without a bogey for two consecutive days and Nakajima went without one on Saturday.
As the unheralded youngster attempts to hold on to his nerves going into the finish on Sunday, in a field of competitors stacked with big names, minimising errors should be the priority.
