Tommy Fleetwood is back in the desert. Honestly, it feels like he never left. If you’ve been refreshing the Tommy Fleetwood scorecard today looking for a repeat of that magic he found last season, you aren't alone. The guy has basically turned Dubai into a second home.
Right now, as we sit in mid-January 2026, Fleetwood is at the Dubai Creek Resort defending his title at the Dubai Invitational. It’s the first real test of the 2026 DP World Tour season, and let’s be real—the pressure is different this year. He isn't just "Tommy with the good hair" anymore. He’s the World Number Three. He's a FedEx Cup champion.
The numbers behind the card
The Dubai Creek course is a beast. It’s got that iconic sail-shaped clubhouse and enough water to make even a pro's palms sweat. Today's scorecard shows exactly why Fleetwood is so dangerous when he's comfortable. He isn't necessarily out-driving everyone by 40 yards, but his iron play? Clinical.
Most people looking at the Tommy Fleetwood scorecard today expect to see a flurry of birdies. But if you actually watch how he builds a round, it’s about the "boring" stuff. It’s hitting 14 or 15 greens in regulation and letting the putter do the talking when it needs to.
Early on in his round today, it was all about the par-save on the 4th. He pulled his tee shot slightly left into the sandy waste area. A lot of guys would have hacked it out and settled for a five. Tommy? He nipped a wedge to six feet and drained the putt like he was playing a Sunday morning game with friends.
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Why today's score matters for the 2026 season
This isn't just another tournament. 2025 was the year Fleetwood finally kicked the door down on the PGA Tour, winning the Tour Championship and silencing every critic who said he couldn't win "the big one" in the States. Starting 2026 with a strong scorecard in Dubai is a statement.
He’s chasing Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy for that top spot in the world rankings. It's a massive gap, but Tommy has been playing with a different level of confidence lately. You can see it in his body language. He’s more aggressive with his lines. He’s taking on pins that he might have played safe against two years ago.
What the fans often miss
When you look at a leaderboard, you see numbers like -3 or -4. What you don't see is the wind switching on the back nine or the way the greens at Dubai Creek start to crust over in the afternoon sun.
Tommy's ability to grind out a 68 when the course is playing like a 72 is what separates him. He’s basically the king of the "scrambled par." Today’s scorecard reflects that grit. He had a mid-round stretch where the birdies dried up, but he didn't beat himself up. He just kept hitting fairways.
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- Driving Accuracy: Staying out of the water is key at Dubai Creek.
- Proximity to Hole: His wedge play from 100-125 yards has been the best in the field today.
- Mental Fortitude: No bogeys on the card through 14 holes is a testament to his focus.
The rivalry with Rory
It’s almost poetic that Rory McIlroy is also in the field this week. These two are friends, Ryder Cup partners, and now, fierce rivals for the World Number One spot. Their scorecards today have been mirroring each other in a weird way. Rory goes birdie-birdie; Tommy answers.
People think golf is a lonely sport, but Tommy thrives when he has a target. He knows exactly where Rory is on the leaderboard at all times. It’s not about ego—it’s about the hunt.
Looking ahead at the scorecard
The final stretch at Dubai Creek is where tournaments are won or lost. The 17th and 18th holes are terrifying. Water everywhere. If the Tommy Fleetwood scorecard today stays clean through those last two, he’s in the driver's seat for the weekend.
He’s currently sitting in the top five, and honestly, that’s exactly where he wants to be. He’s a "stalker" on the leaderboard. He doesn't need a five-shot lead to feel comfortable. He just needs to be within touching distance.
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Actionable insights for your own game
Watching Tommy’s scorecard today offers a few lessons for the rest of us:
- Stop chasing pins: Tommy often aims for the fat part of the green when the wind is up.
- Master the 4-footer: His scorecard is clean because he doesn't miss the short ones.
- Forget the last hole: He had a rough break on the 9th with a lip-out, but he came out on 10 and striped it down the middle.
Keep an eye on the live updates as he finishes the back nine. The way he handles the pressure of being the defending champion will tell us everything we need to know about his chances for a Major this year.
To stay on top of his progress, check the official DP World Tour live leaderboard or follow the shot-by-shot trackers available on most golf apps. Pay attention to his "strokes gained" putting—that's usually the indicator of whether he's going to go low on Sunday. If he can keep the putter hot, 2026 might just be the year of Tommy.
Check the live leaderboards periodically throughout the afternoon to see if he can keep that bogey-free streak alive through the finishing stretch. Focus on his performance on the Par-5s, as that is where he traditionally makes his move to climb the rankings.