Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: Tommy Fleetwood shares lead after Aaron Rai makes an albatross

World No 5 keeps his focus on winning another Falcon Trophy as his sensational run of form continues

Tommy Fleetwood on day two of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links. Getty Images

Tommy Fleetwood says he is taking nothing for granted as he eyes a second win in succession on the DP World Tour.

The world No 5 shares the lead at 14-under par with fellow Englishman Aaron Rai ahead of the weekend at Yas Links.

The Dubai resident’s form is extraordinary. He won the DP World India Championship on his most recent start two weeks ago.

That was just three tournaments since he broke his US PGA Tour duck by winning the Tour Championship in Atlanta, while he was also one of Europe’s standout players in their Ryder Cup win in New York.

His play has been exemplary so far in the capital. His bogey at the 15th on Friday was his first dropped shot since the second hole of his final round in India.

Despite his sparkling play, he said after signing for a 66 in Round 2 that he is far from being on autopilot.

“Not at all; I still think around this golf course, there’s plenty of shots that are very testing,” Fleetwood said.

“Scores have been very low, as well, and you know that if you’re going to be up there on Sunday you’re going to have to be pretty relentless and keep hitting good shots and keep scoring.

“Obviously, I feel good about my game and I’m doing so many things well. But I’m also very aware of what the game can do to you as well.

“I’ll just stay very focused on each day. I’m having a lot of good rounds but I’m not stupid, and it’s bitten me enough times. I'll enjoy these good ones but stay focused and continue to do the right things and keep it going as long as possible.”

Fleetwood wants to finish his season strongly, with two rounds left in Abu Dhabi, then the season finale at the DP World Tour Championship at Earth Course.

“I noticed what the best players were doing, and they were competing till the very end of the year,” Fleetwood said.

“Fresh might be an overstatement, but they were still very motivated. They were doing all the right things. I sort of looked at them and thought: that’s what I want to be doing, and those are the players that I want to be like.

“Since then, I’ve always tried to get to the end of the year and feel like I’m doing a lot of good things. I feel like I’m still really motivated. I really want to play well.

“I still have things that I want to achieve even with six rounds of golf to go into the season. It’s so nice to get to the end of the year and being playing well.”

While he and Fleetwood are vying for the Falcon Trophy at Yas, it was another rare bird which made Rai’s round memorable on Friday.

The 30-year-old made an albatross when he holed his 214-yard approach at the par-5 second hole.

“You couldn’t see it from the back of the fairway, so it was a nice surprise,” Rai said. “It just felt very stress-free overall. It was just a very solid, productive day.”

Fleetwood and Rai will start Saturday with a two-stroke advantage over three players who are on 12-under – Andy Sullivan, Nicolai Hojgaard and Richard Sterne.

Rory McIlroy, the Race to Dubai leader, is on 8-under after a second successive 68. Marco Penge, his playing partner in the first two rounds and McIlroy’s closest rival in the order of merit, is one stroke better off on 9-under.