Tommy Fleetwood is hoping his experience will stand him in good stead over the weekend as he looks to be crowned Europe’s No 1 for the second year in a row at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
The Englishman needs a second Rolex Series victory at Jumeirah Golf Estates to have a chance of keeping his crown, with Race to Dubai leader Francesco Molinari finishing worse than a tie for fifth with one other.
Molinari was a shot ahead of his great friend and rival after day one but while Fleetwood fired a 67 on Friday to sit just three shots off the lead, the Italian was eight back after a 73.
There is still a long way to go if Fleetwood is to get past leader Matt Wallace and a host of elite players at the top end of the leaderboard, but the 27-year-old feels he is well equipped to deal with the task.
‘I’m a much more mature person and I’ve had different experiences this year than I’ve had last year,’ Fleetwood said.
‘It’s still a very difficult task. I’ve only won once this year, it’s not like I’m a prolific winner this year. I’ve had chances and missed them.
‘So I’m still trying to knock on that door and win a tournament, the same as everybody is. There’s so many different things going on but the situation is pretty black and white, just keep going and just put everything into it for another two days.
‘We’ve got two rounds of golf left of all the rounds of golf that have been played by all the players on Tour and you’re still in with a chance to win the Race to Dubai. It’s pretty cool and you’ll always take it.
‘Every shot seems very important, it’s just a completely different feeling to any other week of the year. They are experiences that you have to have and that you want. Every shot just a little bit more heightened, all your senses are a little bit heightened and every shot means that little bit more because it all comes down to this.’
Credit: European Tour
