Tommy Fleetwood returned to India and the iconic Delhi Golf Club with a masterful performance, shedding any final-day nerves to clinch the inaugural DP World India Championship title on Sunday. His stellar final round of 65 brought his tournament total to an impressive 21-under par, securing a two-shot victory.
Fleetwood’s victory came after a relentless chase of overnight leader Keita Nakajima — the 2024 Indian Open winner and this year’s runner-up — who finished 19-under par with a Sunday score of 69.
The Englishman, who began Day Three two shots behind Nakajima, adopted an aggressive strategy from the outset. Despite an early dropped shot on the second hole, Fleetwood maintained his relentless pursuit of the top spot. His high-risk, high-reward approach paid dividends, as he fired off five birdies on the front nine, including a phenomenal run of four consecutive birdies from the seventh through tenth holes, bringing him level for the lead. He further solidified his position with two more birdies on the 14th and 17th.
For a period, both Fleetwood and Nakajima found themselves chasing New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier, who emerged as a surprise leader. Hillier, who started four strokes back, ignited the front nine with an incredible six-shot gain, including four straight birdies. But his momentum tragically stalled on the 14th tee when his shot landed deep in the bushes, forcing a penalty. He then compounded the error by missing an easy putt for a double bogey, a setback from which he couldn’t recover, ultimately finishing six shots behind the champion.
Amidst the fierce competition, the DP World Tour shared an emotional moment, highlighting Fleetwood’s personal motivation: “Frankie said you’ve never won a tournament where I’ve been able to run onto the green!” revealing that Tommy’s primary goal this week was to win in front of his son, Frankie, and he did just that.💙
Despite Nakajima’s persistent challenge, Fleetwood’s calm demeanor prevailed. He decisively extended his narrow lead with a crucial birdie putt on the 14th, culminating in a magnificent four-day total of 266. This victory marks a highly successful 2025 for Fleetwood, including his first PGA Tour title in August and a key role in Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph. This win also propels him into the world’s top-five rankings for the first time in his career. Another highlight from the tournament was a social media post from DP World Tour exclaiming, “FOUR IN A ROW! 💪 @TommyFleetwood1 joins Dan Hillier at the top of the leaderboard in Delhi!” during Fleetwood’s incredible streak.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy endured his toughest round of the week, carding a 71 to finish tied for 26th. India’s best performer was Shiv Kapur, who recorded his best round of 68 to finish tied for 32nd.
Final leaderboard:
- 266: Tommy Fleetwood (68-64-69-65)
- 268: Keita Nakajima (65-69-65-69)
- 270: Shane Lowry (64-69-69-68), Alex Fitzpatrick (69-67-67), Thriston Lawrence (69-67-69-65)