Fleetwood Denies McIlroy in Dubai Invitational

Tommy Fleetwood - File Photo by Reuters
Tommy Fleetwood - File Photo by Reuters
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Fleetwood Denies McIlroy in Dubai Invitational

Tommy Fleetwood - File Photo by Reuters
Tommy Fleetwood - File Photo by Reuters

Tommy Fleetwood conjured up a birdie-birdie finish to deny Rory McIlroy and win the Dubai Invitational on Sunday.

"It was amazing winning," Englishman Fleetwood said. "Like almost everybody else in the world of golf, I don't win anywhere near as much as I would like to but just that winning feeling great."

Fleetwood enjoyed a one-shot lead over McIlroy going into the fourth round.

And he was a model of consistency until ceding the lead after a bogey at the 16th.

He was still one shot back on the 18th tee after he and McIlroy both birdied the penultimate hole, according to AFP.

But as the Northern Irishman found the water and made a bogey, Fleetwood holed from 16 feet for a 67, a 19 under total and a seventh DP World Tour title.

South African Thriston Lawrence finished alongside McIlroy at 18 under, two clear of England's Jordan Smith and three ahead of 2018 British Open champion Francesco Molinari.

Fleetwood is based in Dubai.

"This is obviously where I live and have a lot of support," he said. "It's great to kick off the year with a great result and push on from here.

"I was very happy with the way I played today for the large majority of the round, felt like I didn't hole some of the putts that I wanted to.

"I just stayed patient and kept playing. I knew I was playing very, very well, and even the last two holes, played 17 and 18 great."

McIlroy said he was rusty.

"I think first week back out, I think you're going to expect some of those sloppy mistakes and unfortunately for me those mistakes came at the wrong time today," he said.

"Just need to tidy up some of the edges and if I do that, I feel good going into next week."



Premier League Opens Office in Mumbai 

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates by taking a selfie after winning the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and clinching the Premier League title at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates by taking a selfie after winning the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and clinching the Premier League title at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)
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Premier League Opens Office in Mumbai 

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates by taking a selfie after winning the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and clinching the Premier League title at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates by taking a selfie after winning the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and clinching the Premier League title at Anfield in Liverpool, England, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)

The English Premier League is expanding its global footprint with the opening of a new office in Mumbai, strengthening its commitment to one of football's most passionate fan bases.

The Mumbai hub will build on nearly two decades of Premier League engagement in India, where the League has run grassroots initiatives since 2007 through its Premier Skills program, supporting thousands of coaches and young people in 18 states.

At elite level, the Premier League has collaborated with the Indian Super League since 2014, sharing expertise in governance and development. Their joint Next Gen Cup youth tournament will feature its sixth edition in Mumbai next May, featuring ISL youth teams competing against Premier League Under-19 sides.

"We and our clubs have a fantastic and knowledgeable fanbase in India, and we know football continues to grow in popularity," Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said.

"Opening this office marks a significant milestone for the Premier League. It will allow us to operate more effectively locally as we build on our existing work to establish more ways to strengthen our relationship with fans."

The Premier League established offices in Singapore (2019), New York (2023) and Beijing (2024) as part of its global strategy of strengthening local partnerships and combating content piracy.