Fleetwood breaks Carnoustie record to take share of lead

England’s Tommy Fleetwood set a new Carnoustie course record to move into a share of the halfway lead at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland yesterday, as Rory McIlroy missed the cut in his final tournament of the season.
Race to Dubai leader Fleetwood, 26, produced a bogey-free nine-under par 63 to lower the previous best by one shot on the course that will play host to next year’s Open Championship.
The effort, in bright but very cold conditions, saw the new father join compatriot and defending champion Tyrrell Hatton in the lead at 11-under par.
Hatton also played his second round at Carnoustie and fired a 65.
“I wasn’t aware it was a course record until I holed that birdie at the last and someone mentioned it to me,” Fleetwood said. “So, it’s all in a day’s work.
“It is some achievement and it will be nice to do the same when The Open comes around but anytime you have a course record, and especially when it is on Tour and on golf courses like this, it’s brilliant to have and I am very proud at the moment.”
Fleetwood’s 63 bettered the 64s carded by 10 other golfers, including Sweden’s Alex Noren last year.
Fleetwood has played just one event in the past seven weeks after taking time off to be with his fiancee ahead of the birth of their first child early last week.
Hatton is seeking to become the first player in the 16-year history of the event to successfully defend the title.
The 25-year-old holed three birdies in succession from the sixth hole and then birdied four of his closing six holes.
“I am happy with today’s round though I got lucky a couple of times, but obviously you need that,” he said.
“The putter come alive for me, on I think it was the last sort of 13 holes, so it was a really good day and very happy.”

Rory ends season on low note
Four-time major winner McIlroy birdied his final hole at Carnoustie in a round of 71 to get back to level par, but was still three strokes shy of the projected cut at three-under par.
McIlroy spoilt what is set to be his last round of the year by taking a sixth-hole triple-bogey seven.
The world number six is set to finish the season without a win for the first time since 2008, having not claimed a title since the 2016 Tour Championship.