A 25-year-old just copied his playing partner’s tempo and took the lead in India.

Keita Nakajima didn’t just beat the field on Saturday at the DP World Tour India Championship—he admitted to straight-up copying Shane Lowry’s swing tempo during their round together. And it worked. The 25-year-old Japanese golfer fired a bogey-free 65 to grab a two-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round. Sometimes the best strategy isn’t grinding harder on your mechanics. It’s watching someone who’s got it figured out and stealing their vibe.

Fleetwood and Lowry Lurking

Tommy Fleetwood sits two back in second, and Shane Lowry—the unwitting swing coach—is three behind in third. Both are major champions with Ryder Cup experience, which means Nakajima’s going to need more than borrowed tempo to close this out. Fleetwood won the TOUR Championship in August and was Europe’s top points scorer at the Ryder Cup last month. The guy knows how to finish. Lowry’s been close all week, and if Nakajima wobbles early, he’s right there to pounce.

Rory’s Already Out of It

Rory McIlroy, the tournament’s biggest draw, shot 68 and sits seven shots back in a tie for 15th. He’s basically conceded already, telling reporters he’s “probably two shots too far behind to have a realistic chance.” That’s eight shots, Rory. Math aside, the world No. 2 clearly isn’t feeling it this week. When the headliner checks out before Sunday, it shifts all the pressure to the guys at the top who might not be used to carrying the spotlight.

Nakajima’s Birdie Barrage

The former top-ranked amateur birdied four of his first eight holes, then went absolutely nuclear from holes 12-14, rattling off three straight birdies covering 70 combined feet of putts. That’s when he jumped past Fleetwood and didn’t look back. His last win on the DP World Tour came in March 2024—also in India, at the Hero Indian Open. There’s something about the subcontinent that brings out his best golf, and if he can keep the tempo theft going for 18 more holes, he’ll have his second European tour title.

Final Round Mindset

Fleetwood’s not conceding anything. “Keita is not far enough ahead where he’s completely in control,” he said after his round. He’s right. Two shots with Fleetwood and Lowry breathing down your neck isn’t exactly a coronation. The final group tees off Sunday with everything on the line, and Nakajima will need to bring more than just Lowry’s tempo—he’ll need his own game to show up when it matters most.