Fleetwood lifts inaugural DP World India Championship

England’s Tommy Fleetwood produced a masterclass in composure and precision golf to clinch the inaugural DP World India Championship title at the Delhi Golf Club on Sunday, sealing victory with a stunning seven-under 65 in the final round.

Trailing by two shots at the start of the day, Fleetwood mounted a classy comeback to post a winning total of 22-under 266, finishing two strokes clear of Japan’s Keita Nakajima. It marked Fleetwood’s eighth DP World Tour title and his first-ever win in India, making it a memorable outing for the world No. 13.

The Englishman, who had also featured at the 2016 Hero Indian Open, revealed that a touching wish from his young son added an emotional edge to his triumph.

“Last week, my son said to me, ‘You’ve never won a tournament where I could run onto the 18th green.’ I wrote that down and kept it in mind all week,” Fleetwood shared, smiling after his victory celebration with his son.

Nakajima closed with a solid 69 to finish runner-up at 20-under, while Ireland’s Shane Lowry (68), England’s Alex Fitzpatrick (67) and South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence (65) rounded off the top positions.

For the home contingent, Shiv Kapur emerged as the best Indian performer. The seasoned pro carded a steady four-under 68, featuring five birdies and a lone bogey, to finish tied 32nd at nine-under. Anirban Lahiri managed a one-under 71 to end the week further down the order, while Shubhankar Sharma struggled for rhythm, shooting a two-over 74 for a share of the 56th spot.

New Zealander Daniel Hiller briefly threatened Fleetwood’s charge with a birdie-packed front nine that took him level at 20-under. But his challenge fizzled after a costly double bogey on the 14th, followed by further dropped shots on the 15th and 18th, leaving him tied ninth.

Fleetwood, who regained his touch midway through the round, tightened his grip with birdies on the 14th and 17th holes to secure a comfortable finish.

With calm nerves and a touch of family inspiration, Tommy Fleetwood scripted a perfect finish to the first-ever India Championship and left the Delhi crowd cheering for more.