Fleetwood in prime position to win Race to Dubai

England’s Tommy Fleetwood stands a good chance of being crowned this year’s Race to Dubai champion after an impressive run on the European Tour.

The race spans 47 tournaments in 26 countries from four continents.

It is a season-long competition that celebrates the diversity and shared passion of golf. This ends with the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 16 to 19, where the European Tour’s number one player will be crowned.

Formerly known as the Order of Merit, points are accumulated based on prize money won, with golfers ranked in the top 10 at the end of the season sharing a Race to Dubai bonus pool of $5 million (R65 million).

After having amassed the most points from 18 events, Fleetwood is leading the standings.

This year has been his most successful – in January, he won his second European Tour event, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, by one stroke over American Dustin Johnson and Spain’s Pablo Larrazábal after a final round of 67.

March saw him finish as runner-up in the WGC-Mexico Championship, a shot behind Johnson.

In April, he lost in a sudden-death play-off at the Shenzhen International to Austrian Bernd Wiesberger at the first extra hole.

Two months later, Fleetwood came fourth at the US Open at Erin Hills in Hartford, Wisconsin.

His achievement on the greens this year became even more noticeable when he won the HNA Open de France at Le Golf National in Paris in July. He carded a score of 272 (-12), beating American Peter Uihlein by a stroke after a bogey-free final round of 66.

Fleetwood, who finished at number 41 in the race’s final standings last year, is now on the cusp of making a lasting mark – provided that he stays consistent.

There are three more tournaments to be played before the Dubai match – the Italian Open from October 12 to 15 at Golf Club Milano; the Turkish Airlines Open from November 2 to 5 at Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort in Antalya; and the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player Country Club from November 9 to 12.

Last year’s Race to Dubai was conquered by Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, who swept the board for the second time since first doing so in 2013.

Winning the Race to Dubai has been a tough mission to accomplish for South African golfers. It was won by Retief Goosen in 2001 and 2002, Ernie Els in 2003 and 2004, and Dale Hayes in 1975.

Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Dylan Frittelli will represent Mzansi from positions in the top 40 this year.