What a Friday it was at the course! If you thought Thursday set the stage, Friday brought the fireworks. Tommy Fleetwood came out swinging—literally—and matched his playing partner’s impressive opening-round 64 with a sizzler of his own. And it wasn’t just the number that stood out. It was the how.
Fleetwood Finds His Groove After Twilight Tune-Up
Five birdies on the front nine alone? That’s a man who showed up with intent. And let’s not overlook the precision—not a single bogey on the card. Fleetwood finishes the day at 12-under, snatching a one-shot lead from none other than Shane Lowry, who grinded out a 69 with four birdies and one lonely bogey.
Now, get this—Fleetwood wasn’t even fully satisfied with how he hit it on Thursday. So what did he do? Hit the range after his round, despite the 5:30 PM closing time, and worked through his drills to get back in rhythm. And boy, did it pay off. Swing locked in. Birdies flowing. Leaderboard climbing.
Lowry and Harman Lurk as Fleetwood Takes the Spotlight
As for Lowry, he’s right there in the hunt, tied for second with Brian Harman, who decided to remind everyone he’s a major champ too, carding a spicy 65 to make it a three-way party just behind Fleetwood. Harman was solid, steady, and sharp—no flash, just fundamentals. And when it works, it works. These are names you don’t want breathing down your neck heading into moving day.
Rory Closes Strong After Rocky Start—and Gets a Royal Welcome
And then there’s Rory with a slow burn turned late charge. At one over through 12, it was looking like a forgettable day. But Rory knows drama—he birdies four of his last six, including both par 5s and a slick putt on 16, to post another 69. That puts him at six-under, six back, and tied for 17th. Not quite striking distance yet, but don’t count him out.
And here’s a fun twist—just as Rory was coming off the 18th green, he was greeted by none other than Sachin Tendulkar. Yes, cricket royalty. The two shared a brief moment, rekindling a friendship that started back at the 2023 DP World Tour Championship. Could that bit of sporting karma give Rory a boost heading into the weekend?
He’ll need it. With his two-iron not behaving and the driver staying in the holster, McIlroy’s relying on precision iron play and a little putting magic to claw back into contention. He knows what he needs to do—hit it closer, miss fewer greens, and find a hot start on Saturday.
Fleetwood’s flying, Lowry’s lurking, Harman’s heating up, and Rory’s rallying. This leaderboard is getting stacked, and the weekend? Oh, it’s going to be electric.
