Fleetwood shares five-way lead after blistering 64 in Abu Dhabi

Fresh off his victory at the inaugural DP World India Championship, Tommy Fleetwood carried his form to Abu Dhabi, opening with a bogey-free 64 to join a five-way tie for the lead at the 2025 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship — the penultimate event on the DP World Tour.

Fleetwood shares top spot with Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry, New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori, South Africa’s Richard Sterne, and France’s Adrien Saddier, all at eight under par.

Reigning Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy, who also featured in India last month, opened his playoff campaign with a 68 alongside fellow Ryder Cup player Ludvig Åberg, whose round was highlighted by a hole-in-one on the par-3 eighth. McIlroy’s closest challenger in the season-long standings, Marco Penge, sits one stroke ahead at five under.

Fleetwood, a two-time champion in Abu Dhabi, made eight birdies in a flawless round. Lowry fired nine birdies against a lone bogey, while Saddier briefly reached nine under after a run of four straight birdies from the 11th before slipping back with a bogey on 17.

Sterne, runner-up to Lowry here in 2019, thrilled the crowd with two eagles — including a spectacular 75-foot putt on the par-5 18th to close with a flourish. Seven players, including Alex Noren, Andy Sullivan, Nicolai Højgaard, and Keita Nakajima, followed closely at seven under.

Fleetwood’s round featured birdies on the first two holes, a burst on 7 and 8, and another pair on 10 and 11 before finishing strong with gains on 13 and 16. Lowry’s steady play saw him turn in 32 before adding five birdies on the back nine.

The leaderboard remains tight heading into the second round, with several Ryder Cup stars and rising names in contention at Yas Links.

Photo – Tommy Fleetwood/DPWT