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Tommy Fleetwood’s remarkable connection with Abu Dhabi shows no signs of fading, as the Englishman produced another sparkling round on Friday.
Fleetwood, a two-time winner of the event, continued his fine form with a six-under-par 66, keeping himself firmly in contention heading into the weekend. The 34-year-old got off to a blistering start with three consecutive birdies and never looked back.
“It was a really good day,” Fleetwood said afterward. “I got off to the perfect start — birdie, birdie, birdie — and that’s always important, especially after a good round the day before. They say it’s hard to follow a low one with another, so starting strong really helped.”
Fleetwood credited his sharp short game and smart course management for maintaining momentum, particularly when faced with tricky lies in the rough. “We read the lies really well,” he explained. “Controlling the ball out of the rough was really pleasing, and I putted solid again. Six-under was a very good score.”
Despite his composed play, Fleetwood dismissed any notion that he’s on “autopilot.”
“Not at all,” he said. “This course still tests you. Scores have been low, and if you want to be up there on Sunday, you have to be relentless — keep hitting good shots, keep scoring. I’m doing a lot of things well, but I know how quickly the game can turn. I’ll just stay focused and keep doing the right things.”
Fleetwood, who’s finishing another long season, believes his current form is a product of learning from the game’s best.
“In my early years on tour, I’d reach these late-season events feeling tired and disappointed,” he said. “I noticed the top players were still competing hard, still motivated right to the end. That’s what I wanted to emulate.”
Now, with just a handful of rounds left in the year, Fleetwood remains driven. “I’m still really motivated,” he added. “I want to play well and finish strong. Hopefully I can put another good round together tomorrow, compete on Sunday, and carry that into next week before switching off for a well-earned break.”
Fleetwood’s determination — and his ongoing love affair with Abu Dhabi — suggests he’ll be a major factor once again as the championship heads into the decisive weekend.
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