2024-09-25 ACCIONA OPEN ESPAÑA 2024 CLUB DE CAMPO VILLA DE MADRID ( SPAIN ) TOMMY FLEETWOOD OF ENGLAND PHOTO: MATEO VILLALBA / ACCIONA OPEN DE ESPAÑA
Tournaments aren’t won on Thursdays but they can be lost with astonishing ease. When there are practically hurricane-force gales blowing like today, this old maxim is truer than ever. Tommy Fleetwood took one look at the weather and decided diplomacy was the best way to approach his day. Shane Lowry, who played alongside the Englishman in the star group of the morning session, chose to attack it.
Tommy’s first nine holes were a masterclass in how to cope when the wind is blowing at over 20 mph. The Briton chose to completely ignore the flags and settle for solid pars. It worked. The headline for his morning could be ‘Two Putts and onto the Next’. Only one birdie dropped for him, on 14 (his 5th), and it was a tiddler. On the other hand, the Irishman opted to go at the flags and paid the price. Only his magic around the greens saved him from playing himself out of the tournament. By the time he reached the 8th he was +3, including two sandy pars. It could have been much worse.
Just as the contrast in styles between the two players is notable, so are their routines. It’s like day and night. Lowry is quick to get over the ball and hit it, while Fleetwood analyses every little detail. He marks his ball before every putt, and on the tee he refuses to hit until he is absolutely confident. It is fascinating to see two of the world’s best go about the same task so differently.
Two years ago, on his first appearance at the ACCIONA Open de España presented by Madrid, the greens were torturous for Fleetwood. He still does not seem to have unlocked their secrets because he is struggling to find the bottom of the cup. His first clear opportunity for birdie came on the par-3 17th, but his putt didn’t even shave the edge. His only two blemishes came on the 1st and 2nd holes, and the flat stick was the culprit; putts inside six feet failed to drop on both holes.
Tommy played intelligent golf that keeps him well in the mix. Three of his four birdies came on the course’s par fives. With the wind whipping through the trees, the three longest holes on the course provided a welcome respite. Three birdies on those three holes mean he can enjoy a peaceful afternoon. The icing on the cake of his exhibition came on the 9th hole, where a birdie to finish at -2 was enough to send out a warning to the rest of the field. Lowry, on the other hand, with his aggressive strategy, coupled with a lack of experience at Club de Campo, now has an uphill struggle tomorrow if he is to make the cut. He will tee it up on Friday at 4-over par. Sometimes golf rewards the cautious and punishes the brave. What Lowry witnessed today will surely give him plenty to think about before round two.
