Nakajima leads Fleetwood/Lowry into Sunday at Indian Open.. 54 hole results

   DP World Tour : India Championship Tee Times Leaderboard Weather

Keita Nakajima continued his love affair with India as he opened up a two-shot lead ahead of the final round of the 2025 DP World India Championship.

India has been a happy hunting ground for the Japanese star, who won the 2024 Hero Indian Open at DLF Golf and Country Club before finishing second at the same event this year.

And he looked right at home once again at Delhi Golf Club on Saturday as he made seven birdies in a bogey-free 65 to reach -17  and rise to the top of the leaderboard.

But he has a world-class chasing pack just behind him, with reigning FedEx Cup Champion Tommy Fleetwood -15 69 his nearest challenger and Major Champion Shane Lowry 69, another shot further back -14. 

Jens Dantorp 65, Alex Fitzpatrick 67, Daniel Hillier 67 and Brian Harman 70, share fourth place on -13.

Nakajima started the day two shots behind halfway leader Fleetwood but closed the gap with a ten-foot birdie at the first. The highlight of Nakajima's round came on the par-three 12th as he drained his 40-foot birdie effort to grab a share of the lead. 

Another long-range birdie putt dropped on the 13th to hand Nakajima the solo lead, and he made it three in a row at the 14th from nearly 20 feet to move two shots in front.

He safely parred his way home to head into the final round with a two-shot cushion.

Nakajima said: "It was a great day.

"I played with Shane Lowry and I love his swing tempo and his golf style. So I learned from Shane a lot.

"I copied his swing tempo on every shot, that's why I did great.

"I had two good tournaments in India already so I had confidence playing here. One more day, just keep going."

Fleetwood struggled for momentum on the back nine as he parred the first seven holes before dropping his first shot of the day on the 17th.

He got the shot back on the 18th after a lucky bounce off a tree helped him get up and down for a closing birdie.

Fleetwood said: "Final group is always great. You've got to enjoy those moments. You don't know when they're going to come again. Looking forward to that.

"It's been a great tournament. Just hopefully go out and enjoy it and play well."

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Bryan Angus (edit)

Saturday: India Championship, Fleetwood/ Nakajima leading..Live scoreboard

   DP World Tour : India Championship Tee Times Leaderboard Weather

After a swanky night out at a Diwali reception, where some of the players donned traditional Indian garb and a who's who of Bollywood joined in, it was back to Moving Day early this warm hazy 31*c morning on the Delhi GC.

 Diwali festivities 

Keita Nakajima clearly has a great game plan for this tight little tree lined course, with 18 birdies and an eagle through 50 holes, he is -6 on today's round now at -16, while Tommy Fleetwood with 15 birdies and an eagle 68 64 is at -15 thru 13 holes.

Other movers this morning, Swede Jens Dantorp has the round of the day 3rd, -7 65 -13, Shane Lowry T3 64 69 , T16 Rory 69 69 68 -10, Viktor Hovland T7 71 67 66 -12.

Follow the live scoring from India by clicking on my links above..

More to follow..

Bryan Angus

Fleetwood leads Indian Championship, Cockerill misses cut .. 36 hole results, Saturday TEE TIMES

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Tommy Fleetwood will take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the 2025 DP World India Championship after making eight birdies and no bogeys in a stunning second-round 64.

The reigning FedEx Cup Champion started the day four shots behind first-round leader and playing partner Shane Lowry after kicking off his campaign with a 68 on Thursday.

But he soon closed the gap as the Englishman fired five birdies on his way to the turn on Friday morning before picking up three more shots coming home to set the clubhouse target at -12.

Although a charging Keita Nakajima got close to his score at one stage, no-one in the afternoon was able to catch Fleetwood, who holds a slender advantage at the halfway stage.

Fleetwood has Major Champions Lowry (69) and Brian Harman (65) breathing down his neck just one shot behind him on -11, while Nakajima (69) sits another shot further back at -10 in fourth place.

He said: "I played better than yesterday, I think. I wasn't happy with how I hit it towards the end yesterday. I hit some balls afterwards, and I felt like today the swing was in a better place.

"I hit it in the fairway a lot today and from there just gave myself the chance to hit some nice irons in and putted well as well for the second day in a row.

"It's easy to talk about how many things you did well when you shot eight under, but just a really good round of golf."

Speaking about the test Delhi Golf Club is providing so far this week, Fleetwood added: "It's just such a unique challenge for all of us.

"I haven't hit more than a five wood. The one hole where I'd hit more is 18, but you get to that and you're like, 'well, I haven't hit one, and I don't really feel that comfortable with it'.

"It's such a unique challenge, and the greens are firming out a little bit and the pins have been tricky.

"It's been very, very enjoyable. It's a test of patience when you're not quite on it because it's one of those courses, you get a few of them where you feel if you hit it good off the tee you're going to have some short irons and wedges and feel like you've always got a chance of going on a run.

"It's such a waiting game. You've got to be very patient. It's been a great test."

edit>>>> With the cut falling at -2, Canada's Aaron Cockerill 71,74 +1 will miss the weekend and is one of several players heading to the year's last regular event in Korea with his last chance to retain his Tour Card. He is at #118 with the top 110 keeping their cards. 

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Bryan Angus (edit)

Friday : Fleetwood/Lowry top billing India Championship, Cockerill M/C ..36 hole results

   DP World Tour : India Championship Tee Times Leaderboard Weather

The brotherhood that is the European Ryder Cup team continues in New Delhi, as best mates Tommy Fleetwood 68 64 -12 and Shane Lowry 64 69 -11 looks likely take top billing into the weekend at this DP World India Championship, along with American lefty, Brian Harman 68 65 -11.

The late wave still has a few holes to finish.

No surprises here. with Tommy, the best iron player on tour, Shane, who has been singing the praises of this little tree lined shot makers Delhi GC where drivers are not required, and Brian Harman, one of the tour's shortest hitters with a shot making, master class putting DNA.

The other Ryder Cuppers, Luke Donald T22 68 71 -5, Viktor Hovland -5 thru 15 and Rory McIlroy -4 thru 15, will all be around for the weekend.

As I post this at 6am edt, the cut is projected either -2 or -1, it is fluctuating as round 2 winds down.

That is bad news for Aaron Cockerill who posted on Instagram on Thursday, "with 2 regular season events left, eyeing a strong finish"

Thursday's 71 -1 saw him T44. Today his +2 74, T88 +1, a costly missed cut, he is now projected at #118 with just the Genesis next week in Korea to save his card at #110 or better for 2026.

He made 9 birdies, 8 bogey's 1 double bogey and 18 pars in 36 holes, 13 shots behind the leader.

more to follow..

Bryan Angus

Lowry leads India Championship, Cockerill T44, Scoreboard / Friday TEE TIMES

  DP World Tour : India Championship Tee Times Leaderboard Weather

Shane Lowry reeled off five birdies in a row on the back nine as he posted an opening 64 to lead by one shot after the first round of the 2025 DP World India Championship.

Keita Nakajima had led for much of the day after firing a -7 65 in the morning at Delhi Golf Club but afternoon starter Lowry managed to leapfrog him after making eight birdies in a spotless round.

After carding back-to-back birdies on the fifth and sixth, Lowry caught fire at the start of the back nine as he picked up shots on the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th to join Nakajima at the summit.

The Ryder Cup hero then finished his round with a birdie from four feet on the 18th to lead the way on eight under par.

Japan's Nakajima was his nearest challenger on seven under, one ahead of Casey Jarvis after the South African's sparkling 66.

Playing alongside Europe's victorious Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald and his team-mate Tommy Fleetwood, Lowry opened his birdie account at the par-three fifth before getting another from close range on the sixth.

Lowry then managed to get up and down from just shy of the 18th green for another birdie to take the outright lead.

He said: "I putted nicely today. I played nice. Gave myself a lot of chances and then I birdied a few on the back nine, it was pretty nice.

"It was a really nice group, playing with Luke and Tommy. We all had a great time and we all played pretty good. I just rolled off a few more birdies than they did on the back nine.

"You know, 64 is a really nice score. It's not that hard when you hit it in play out there but when you start missing fairways it becomes quite tricky. I'm pretty happy with that.

"When I saw the draw, I was really happy. Being with the lads, we've had some good things happen the last few weeks. It was nice.

"I haven't played with Luke that much in tournaments but obviously I know him pretty well and we all fed off each other and it was nice.

"I feel like this type of golf course suits me. I spend half the year moaning about golf courses that are too wide, so when I get to somewhere like here, I need to take advantage of that, and I did that today and hopefully I can keep doing that for the rest of the week."

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Bryan Angus (edit)

Thursday: India Championship, Shane Lowry clubhouse lead, Cockerill opens 71....Live scoreboard

 DP World Tour : India Championship Tee Times Leaderboard Weather

Weather : Hazy sunshine, hot 30*c, wind 2-4mph NW

New Delhi is hot and hazy this week with temperature in the mid 30'sc and little relief from the slight breeze.

The Delhi GC, surrounded by the constant beeping of horns from the hopelessly overcrowded city streets, is  narrow, tree lined, with small albeit tricky greens, and several doglegs which require a station to station approach.  

Viktor Hovland summed up his game plan, " I am concentrating on my iron play here this week, we don't really need our drivers on this course"

Japanese star Keita Nakajima playing from the 10th did it to perfection with 8 birdies and just 1 bogey coming home in 31 with 4 birdies in a row 1st-4th, for the early clubhouse lead at -7.

All the field are using long hybrids or irons off the tee, relying on their approach play to make birdies.

At the Race to Dubai ranking #21 after his brilliant play early in the season, he is assured of playing in the topp 70 playoff and the top 50 Tour Championship in Dubai.

At the other end of the scale, Canada's Aaron Cockerill is one who desperately needs a good week to secure the playing rights afforded to the top 110.

At #115 be began play on the 10th, out in -1 35, then he played his last nine with 3 birdies and 3 bogey's which included some lengthy putts, but also 3 missed short ones which must be testament to the greens. 

He is currently T43 -1 71. Its early to say, right now the cut is projected around E par.

Rory went out early 6 birdies, 3 bogey's off the 10th for -3 69.

Shane Lowry was -6 through 14 holes, and then he made birdies at 15 & 18 for a back nine 30 for 64 and the clubhouse lead at -8.

More to follow...

Bryan Angus

DP World Championship in India.... a New Chapter

  DP World Tour : India Championship Tee Times Leaderboard Weather

The inaugural DP World India Championship marks the continuation of an established international relationship for the DP World Tour.

The Lodhi course at Delhi Golf Club is the host venue this week

Announced in April, the $4 million event - co-sanctioned with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) - serves as the penultimate stop on the Back 9, in the lead up to the season-ending DP World Tour Play-Offs on the 2025 Race to Dubai schedule.

Featuring a star-studded international field, including Ryder Cup stars Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland and Shane Lowry alongside homegrown hero Shubhankar Sharma, the tournament marks a new chapter for professional golf in India.

Held at the historic Delhi Golf Club from October 16-19, it is the fourth tournament to be held in India on Golf’s Global Tour since our first visit in 2008.

Then becoming the 37th territory to stage a DP World Tour event, the EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters – subsequently titled the Avantha Masters from 2010-2013 – marked the first foray to the world’s most populous country.

This year is also the first time two different DP World Tour-sanctioned tournaments have been staged in India in the same year since the Johnnie Walker Classic made a visit to New Delhi later in the 2008 campaign.

Back then, DLF G&CC was the host venue, and it has since become a regular location, in particular through the long-standing Hero Indian Open, held earlier this season in March.

The national championship of India, first staged on the DP World Tour in 2015, is also co-sanctioned by the PGTI and has a $2.25m prize fund.

EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters	Delhi Golf Club	2008	Shiv Chawrasia
Jonnie Walker Classic	DLF G&CC	2008	Mark Brown
Avantha Masters [formerly EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters]	DLF G&CC	2010	Andrew Dodt
	DLF G&CC	2011	Shiv Chawrasia
	DLF G&CC	2012	Jbe Kruger
	DLF G&CC	2013	Thomas Aiken
Hero Indian Open	Delhi GC	2015	Anirban Lahiri
	Delhi GC	2016	Shiv Chawrasia
	DLF G&CC	2017	Shiv Chawrasia
	DLF G&CC	2018	Matt Wallace
	DLF G&CC	2019	Stephen Gallacher
	DLF G&CC	2023	Marcel Siem
	DLF G&CC	2024	Keita Nakajima
	DLF G&CC	2025	Eugenio Chacarra

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Bryan Angus (edit)