By Kent Gray
Tommy Fleetwood speaks like a starry-eyed fan but plays very much like the man.

Continuing on from where he left off in Abu Dhabi 12 months ago and more recently as the freshly minted Race to Dubai champion, Fleetwood got his defence of the Falcon trophy, and New Year, off to a flyer on Thursday. A bogey and “stress-free” 66 earned the 26-year-old Englishman a share of the first round lead with Japan’s Hideto Tanihara at the 13th Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship – and another scarcely believable scrapbook moment.

Fleetwood might be the reigning European No.1 but in a three-ball featuring the best player on the planet and one of the best golfers of his generation, the Southport lad humbly knows his station, even in the upper echelons of the game. The thing is, he isn’t playing like a lesser golfing mortal as illustrated by his three and six shot eclipsing of playing partners Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson respectively.

“Yeah, I think during my career, I think I’m going to struggle to find a better three ball, really. Doesn’t matter how long I play. That might be the best one I get,” said the fan-like Fleetwood after his man-like opener left him a shot clear of five players on -5: Thomas Pieters, Ross Fisher, Bernd Wieseberger, Sam Brazel and Fabrizio Zanotti.

“I don’t know what I’ll do in my career, nobody knows what the future holds, but I think these two might be going down in the history books. So it will be nice to tell them [maybe infant son Frankie when he’s old enough] that I played these two in a three-ball.

“All you can do is concentrate on your own game…set out to play the best you can.”

Fleetwood’s best on Thursday was mightily impressive. His six-under loop of The National is ominously one better than his start last year and the way he played, and putted in particular, there’s no reason why he couldn’t go on to snare successive Falcons.

There were 18 greens in regulation and some deft putting including a birdie fright on the 3rd (his 12th), a delightful downhill left-to-righter from long range that burnt the cup on the next hole and a masterful two-putt from around 100 feet on the par 3 7th.

“Yeah, it really was [a terrific start],” Fleetwood said. “Had control of my ball really from the get-go. Felt like I did what you need to do well around this golf course, which is drive it well, hit your irons, but you can’t really be too greedy all the time. Then sort of my pace putting was really good. Very stress-free.”

Tanihara also went bogey-free, rattling off four birdies going out before a decisive gain on his lst hole, the 9th, to join Fleetwood.

There are 34 players within three shots of the lead and the major surprise was that Johnson, fresh from his eight shot romp to victory in Hawaii a fortnight ago, wasn’t amongst them.

The world No.1 had four birdies but as many bogeys, including a watery dropped shot on his final hole (the 9th), and struggled around the greens. Still, his 72 matched his opening round 12 months ago when he ended up just a shot shy of Fleetwood. With his power off the tee, the 2016 U.S. Open champion is far from done even after the dusty start.

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A scintillating 66 saw the man from Japan join reigning champion Tommy Fleetwood atop the leaderboard. Just as Fleetwood will have raised few eyebrows with six-under circuit, neither should the fact Tanihara is keeping him company come as any great surprise.

The world No. 71 and 14-time Japan Golf Tour winner won two of his three matches in Asia’s tight 14-10 loss to Europe in Malaysia and swept aside several of this week’s field, as well as Jordan Spieth, before being pipped by eventual winner Dustin Johnson in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship last season.

“It’s a tough course here,” said Tanihara. “Didn’t hit fairways so much but I’m thinking more about playing smart golf and making good putts. (Isao) Aoki, he won on The European Tour, and I’m just trying to focus on winning on The European Tour.”

With that said, the 39-year-old is by no means safe at the top. In a high calibre and tightly bunched chasing pack are myriad threats, Thomas Pieters, Bernd Wiesberger (both 67), Matthew Fitzpatrick and Andrew “Beef” Johnston (both 68) notable among them.

Nine players share third spot, including Scots Stephen Gallacher and Richie Ramsay, both of whom posted -4 68s on Thursday in a welcome return to the business end of the leaderboard.

Gallacher has had a tough old time of it since winning the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2014 and forcing his way into the Ryder Cup team at Gleneagles.

The Scotsman glided to eight top-10 finishes four years ago, but has managed only three in as many seasons since then.

“It was great, yeah. Played lovely the front nine. Gave myself a chance. Got to four-under. Only missed one green of the 18 and was never really outside 15-, 20-foot. Holed a few putts. Didn’t really play that great on the back nine, but you know, four-under is pretty good since the 1st of November [his last round].”

Ramsay, like Gallacher, carded only one bogey in his opening round.

“Yeah, very happy, probably the best opening round of the season I’ve ever had. Ball-striking was really good. I got four new clubs in the bag, so I love the added distance off the tee and I drove it well which is key around here.

“Just very consistent. Really pleased. Attitude was good. Everything was really nice. I think just coming out here, getting good practice in the nice weather was key to that.”

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And to cap it off, Tanihara gave us this highlight-reel shot on the seventh hole during his consolation match with Bill Haas.

As good as it gets. #DellMatchPlay pic.twitter.com/eibmjhPogZ

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) March 26, 2017

The 38-year-old star from Japan is known for his skills with the putter — but they weren’t needed on this hole.

Not pictured is Tanihara giving gallery members a high-five on his way to the hole. We love it — he’s becoming a fan favorite in Austin. — Stephen Hennessey

Ed’s note: For the record, Tanihara was beaten 2&1 by Haas in the playoff for third.

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