Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry made a brilliant start to the 2025 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links, firing matching 64s to sit in a five-way tie for the lead after Round One of the Rolex Series event.
The Ryder Cup duo — paired together for the opening round — reached eight under par, sharing the lead with Kazuma Kobori, Richard Sterne and Adrien Saddier.
Fleetwood & Lowry Set the Pace
Dubai-based Fleetwood, the reigning FedExCup champion, produced a flawless card of eight birdies and zero bogeys in perfect scoring conditions.
“I’m enjoying it. There’s a low score out there if you play well, but you still need to hit the right shots. I love that about this course,” said Fleetwood.
Lowry matched his Ryder Cup teammate with a sparkling nine-birdie round, dropping just one shot.
“I like playing with Tommy — he’s a great friend and a great player,” said Lowry. “We feed off each other and it was a nice day out there.”
Eagles & Aces Light Up Day One
France’s Saddier briefly reached nine under after nine birdies in 16 holes, but a bogey on the 17th saw him fall back into the share of the lead.
South African Sterne, runner-up to Lowry in Abu Dhabi in 2019, delivered two eagles, including a spectacular 75-foot eagle putt on the 18th. New Zealand’s Kobori impressed on debut with a clean round of one eagle and six birdies.
“It’s a long week with no cut, so a fast start is important to build momentum,” Sterne said.
Seven players sit one shot back on seven under, including Alex Noren, Andy Sullivan, Nicolai Højgaard, Keita Nakajima, Michael Kim, Nicolai von Dellingshausen and Nacho Elvira.
McIlroy, Åberg and Penge Stay in the Hunt
Rory McIlroy, the defending Race to Dubai champion and current rankings leader, opened his DP World Tour Play-Offs campaign with a solid 68 (-4). Ludvig Åberg matched the score, highlighted by a stunning hole-in-one on the par-three 8th.
Marco Penge, McIlroy’s closest challenger for the season-long title, carded a 67 (-5) to remain firmly in contention.
Growing the Game in the UAE
Away from the fairways, the opening day delivered major community milestones.
Over 1,000 schoolchildren visited Yas Links as part of the Championship’s school outreach programme, giving youngsters the chance to watch the world’s best players, tour the venue, and enjoy activities in the Championship Village.
Meanwhile, The R&A hosted a Golf in the Community Forum focused on boosting participation and inclusion across the Middle East. Sessions explored the Future Falcons junior pathway, women and girls in golf, and the health benefits of golf — attended by representatives from the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, HSBC, Emirates Golf Federation and Dubai Golf.
