The DP World India Championship at Delhi Golf Club has quickly become a showcase of world-class golf, with Englishman Tommy Fleetwood storming into the lead after a blistering second round. Fleetwood, the reigning FedExCup champion, carded a dazzling 8-under-par 64 on a tricky day, building on his opening round of 68 for a cumulative 12-under 132 at the tournament’s halfway mark. With a field packed with major champions and local hopefuls, the competition is heating up and the drama is far from over.
Fleetwood’s performance was nothing short of clinical. Reflecting on his round, he shared, “I played better than yesterday, I think. I wasn't happy with how I hit it towards the end yesterday. I hit some balls afterwards and I felt like today the swing was in a better place.” He continued, “I hit it in the fairway a lot today and from there just gave myself the chance to hit some nice irons in and putted well for the second day in a row. It is easy to talk about how many things you did well when you shot eight-under, but just a really good round of golf.”
Fleetwood’s lead is slim, though, with 2019 Open winner Shane Lowry and 2023 Open champion Brian Harman just one shot back at 11-under 133. Lowry, who had held the overnight advantage after a sparkling 64, followed up with a three-under 69. He admitted to feeling the pressure after a “stupid bogey” on the par-5, but was ultimately satisfied with his work. “Yeah, I got off to a bit of a slow-ish start,” Lowry told reporters. “Not much happened on the front nine, and then I made a stupid bogey on the par 5 from the middle of the fairway. Quite frustrated around the turn. But I felt like I finished well, and I played some nice golf on the way in.”
Lowry’s approach to the weekend is measured. “No, I think you need to play this golf course the way you see it,” he said, emphasizing the importance of keeping the ball in play and relying on his mid-iron game. “There's a lot of holes where you're not hitting much off the tee, and you're trying to get it in play, and that's why I think it suits me. There's a lot of mid-irons out there, which is a strength of my game. Play to my strengths this week, and hopefully I can be dangerous this weekend.”
Brian Harman, meanwhile, surged into contention with a superb 7-under 65 that included eight birdies and just one bogey. Harman’s consistency has made him a constant threat on the leaderboard, and he’ll be looking to maintain that form as the weekend unfolds.
Rory McIlroy, the five-time major winner and current world No. 2, finds himself six shots off the lead at 6-under 138 after rounds of 69 and 69. His second round was a tale of two halves—he stumbled with bogeys on the 11th and 12th, but then caught fire with four birdies in his final six holes to comfortably make the cut and keep his hopes alive. “Yeah, obviously not the best way to start the back nine,” McIlroy admitted. “I felt like I recovered, and I scrambled well on the front nine, didn't play that good. The two bogeys—I knew I had two par 5s coming up, and then I thought if I can birdie those, get myself back in the tournament, and that's what I did. A good birdie on 13 after two bogeys, and I birdied the two par 5s and made a nice putt on 16 also. Yeah, it was a strong finish, got myself sort of back in the tournament.”
McIlroy has notably avoided using his driver this week, a decision prompted by the Delhi Golf Club’s notoriously narrow fairways. Asked if he’ll change his approach, he was clear: “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. If I can just sort of sharpen everything up a little bit and give myself a few more birdie looks over the weekend, maybe I'll be able to claw my way back closer to the leaders.”
Among the local contingent, Shubhankar Sharma delivered a standout performance to lift Indian spirits. After a disappointing first round of 74, Sharma rebounded with a bogey-free six-under 66, climbing 67 spots to finish the day tied for 32nd at four-under 140. “Really happy. Yesterday I got off to a good start but made some bad mistakes coming in, but I slept well last night and I am feeling a lot fresher. Hit it well, putting was good, mind was clear, and in the end, I am really happy,” Sharma reflected on his turnaround. He credited his improved mentality and a more relaxed approach for the dramatic improvement. “In golf, it's always very small points. There is not much difference. It is just that my mentality was different today. I was a lot more relaxed. Well rested. Yesterday even though I got off to a good start, I was slightly edgy.”
Other Indian players making the cut included Dhruv Sheoran, Shiv Kapur, and Anirban Lahiri, all tied at three-under 141, and Abhinav Lohan at two-under 142. Their progress into the weekend rounds is a testament to the growing strength of Indian golf on the international stage.
Not to be overlooked, Viktor Hovland, McIlroy’s Ryder Cup teammate, quietly put together a bogey-free five-under round after a 71 on the opening day to also reach six-under, joining the logjam of contenders eager to chase down Fleetwood.
The halfway cut fell at two-under 142, with 66 players advancing to the weekend. Among those missing out was Conor Purcell, despite a valiant 69, while Max Kennedy sits at 29th in the standings after a 68, teetering on the brink of qualifying for the prestigious Rolex Grand Final.
As the DP World India Championship heads into the decisive weekend, the stage is set for a thrilling battle. Fleetwood holds a slender advantage, but with Lowry, Harman, McIlroy, and a host of other world-class talents in close pursuit, anything can happen. Add in the pressure of a challenging course and the hopes of a nation riding on its local stars, and golf fans are in for a treat. Stay tuned—the action at Delhi Golf Club is just heating up, and the race for the title is wide open.
