This Tommy Fleetwood record lasted only 24 hours. Here’s why

on thursday, Tommy Fleetwood was a little surprised. He had just shot 10 under, which he learned as he began talking to reporters while tying the course record at Yas Links in Abu Dhabi.

“Only Reconciliation course record?” he said. “Who else shot under 10?”

Sami Valimaki12 months ago.

Tommy-Boy would only have to accept a share of the record and an outright lead in the penultimate event on the DP World Tour 2024 schedule. But just one day later, even more acceptance is now required from Fleetwood, because the record it is no longer his to part with at all.

Paul Waring is a 39-year-old professional who comes from the same part of England as Fleetwood – Merseyside, in the greater Liverpool area, down the road from Hoylake. He’s much more of a master than a main man, winning just once on the DP World Tour in 2018. It’s been years since he competed in a major championship, but he’s taken to the European circuit with results respectable. And lately, he’s been making a lot of birds.

“My caddy made the remark a few days ago,” Waring said Friday. “We played some golf at Trump in Dubai and we also played the Fire Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, and for those two rounds, I actually had 50 percent birdies. We were laughing a little yesterday because yesterday I had nine birds. So that was 50 percent.

“So he said today, Yes, every round, you have 50 percent birds. So that was our goal, if you know what I mean. I was just trying to keep going and trying to keep making as many birdies as I could. So I wasn’t even aware of the score today.”

It’s not that wild for a top-level pro to make nine birdies or more in a round, because often they can sprinkle a birdie or two in there as well. Waring had done that until Thursday, spoiling his nine birdies in the first round with a bogey on the par-5 2nd. Somehow, the same fate seemed to befall him again on Friday.

Waring followed up with three straight birdies at 3 through 5 with an eagle at 6, cruising to five under. He then followed up with three straight birdies on 10 through 12 with another birdie on 13 to reach nine under, one off Fleetwood’s record. When he quickly equaled Fleetwood’s record with a birdie on 16, all he needed was a simple 4 on the par-5 finishing hole.

Easier said than done.

Waring pulled his tee ball on the 18th to the left, near the water hazard. He cut it back down the road, probably admitting that he had done his “50 percent chicks” and didn’t need any more. Just take it home and enjoy your 36 hole bullet. But then…

“That was the best shot I’ve ever hit in my life to be honest,” Waring said. “Yes, I had left myself 262, 265, something like that to the end.”

When a pro doesn’t quite know the scale of his life, you know he came a long way.

“The tee shot on 18 was a little bit special for me,” Waring continued, “because I’d been hitting it well all day. So even on that 3-wood, I felt like I could hit a solid shot to the green and just hit a little par. One of the best shots I’ve ever hit.”