So maybe the jungles that line the narrow fairways of Delhi Golf Club aren’t so heavy 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 leaderhad become a chaser after Keita Nakajima posted a bogey-free 65 to maintain a three-shot lead in DP World Championship India while Fleetwood completed his third round.
Both players were among the almost 50% field this weekplaying without a driver IN a unique layout of Delhi Golf Club which is basically cut into the jungle outside of one of the world’s largest cities. Fairways on the 6,912-yard course average only 25 meters wide.
Fleetwood almost found out what happens after an errant putt on his final hole on Saturday. From the first tee left on 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 woods.
The crowd was quiet as Fleetwood’s tee shot headed for what was at best an unplayable lie and likely lost the ball, but as it turns out, the dense jungle off the fairway sometimes acts as a bumper.
In a stroke of genius, Fleetwood’s ball bounced off the trees and right into the middle of the fairway, right in front of the par-5 green in two.
From there, Fleetwood got up and down for birdie, regaining his three-shot lead on 17 and will head into Sunday’s final round on 15, in solo second, two behind Nakajima.
On a course where players fear a wrong shot like no other place we’ve seen in modern times, Fleetwood finished as a birdie after his worst shot of the week.
“Focus on the really good things and know that if I play like that, I have a very good chance to score and score a good round,” he said of his position heading into Sunday’s final round. “Two behind is close enough, where I’m still a little bit in control. Keita is not far enough in front, where he’s completely in control.”
Also in the hunt is Fleetwood’s Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry, who is just one shot further back at 14 ahead of a four-way tie at 13 that includes 2023 Open Championship winner Brian Harman.
I am in a great position in this tournament. I love the golf course,” said Lowry, a player who IS playing a driver this week. “I think it suits me and I think I’ll have a low score there. I’ve already shown that once this week. I’ll need a low tomorrow to try and win.”
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