Nicolai Hojgaard commands the solo lead at 11 under through two rounds of action at the 2023 DP World Tour Championship. The young Dane has built a two-stroke gap between himself and the field following rounds of 66-67 with the players in pursuit being some of those he grew closest to at this year’s Ryder Cup.
“I feel like [a win is] the only thing I missed this season, but there’s two rounds to go,” said Hojgaard. “There’s a lot of really good players in this field I know that’s going to be in the hunt the next few days, and I’m going to keep grinding as much as I can and put myself around, hopefully, and we’ll see on Sunday.”
Hojgaard’s European teammate from Marco Simone, Tommy Fleetwood, has eyes on polishing off a fantastic statistical season with a win of his own at Jumeriah Estates in Dubai. A relatively new resident of the area, the Englishman leads the field with 14 birdies and stands at 9 under at the halfway point.
“It’s always great to be here,” said Fleetwood. “I don’t really care what you do in your career, I feel like it means a lot to actually make this event and have the chance to play for this tournament. Of course, it’s close to my heart this one. I’m just looking forward to the weekend. I always feel like it brings out great winners, great champions, so I have put myself there or there abouts. The ultimate goal is to be one of those, to have your name on that trophy … anytime you’re in contention in a tournament like this, the final one of the season, it is really, really nice.”
A victory for Fleetwood is long overdue. Experiencing close calls at the Canadian Open, FedEx St. Jude Championship and the BMW PGA Championship, the 32-year-old continues to put himself in with a chance. While he has not been able to convert, his confidence persists.
It will be a difficult task for Fleetwood who will not only need to contend with Hojgaard and his two-stroke lead but also Viktor Hovland, who sits at 9 under as well. A man who needs no added confidence, the 2023 FedEx Cup champion is once again in contention at a big-time tournament heading into the weekend.
“I still feel like my iron game is not as sharp as it should be,” said Hovland. “I’m hitting a lot of greens and I’m giving myself a lot of looks, but the ball is still going so far that it’s hard to really dial in the distances. I’m playing really solid, chipping it good, driving it good and putting it good.”
Hovland’s game should only improve as the tournament progresses. Playing for the first time since the Ryder Cup, the Norwegian had a rusty go of things with an opening 69. Looking much better Friday with a seven-birdie 66, the 26-year-old has given himself the opportunity to capture his fifth trophy in the last 11 months and put an emphatic bow on a career year.