Austin, TX ….

It took European No. 1 Tommy Fleetwood less than two hours to hand out the biggest margin of defeat in this year’s WGC – Dell Technologies Match-Play Championship in Austin, Texas.

Fleetwood never really got out of second gear defeating American Kevin Chappell 7 & 6 in a very one-sided encounter in the second of three round robin matches.

In fact, the Southport-born Fleetwood wrapped-up his match before half the 32-matches had arrived to the first tee and then delighted in heading to Austin Country Club clubhouse to dine out on a salmon lunch.

And little wonder Fleetwood’s lunch tasted all the nicer and a day after fellow Brit Ian Poulter had defeating the reigning French Open and back-to-back winner of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 3 & 2.

Tommy Fleetwood dines out on a salmon lunch after savaging Kevin Chappell 7 & 6. (Photo – @tourmiss)

“The main thing for me was I really poor yesterday and was disappointed in myself,” said Fleetwood.

“I mean, Ian (Poulter) did what he needed to do and he played really solid.

“On a personal sort of level, I was disappointed with my performance.

“Today was just do better. I got off to that really good start. I gave him a couple of holes and then managed to stay ahead. I did play really solid today.

“It’s difficult in the wind and I think sometimes you don’t realize how difficult it is just because it’s match play and you are trying to beat one other person. So it’s tricky out there.”

A big key to Fleetwood’s big victory was calls and text messages after his round to those in his ‘team’ and they included putting coach, Phil Kenyon.

“I had to work on my putting so I spoke to a couple of guys at home  iucluding Phil, my coach, and then my psychologist,” he revealed.

“And we just discussed things. You have to come out and you have to — I could have putted poorly today, but if I felt better — so I made an improvement and that’s all you can do.

“So, I had a better day. I think that was the main thing. It’s difficult. My game isn’t quite there at the moment. I didn’t play great last week. There are still sort of things I’m struggling on, but it’s getting better.

“Today I hold a couple of putts and I just played really solid on a windy day.”

Fleetwood now faces American Daniel Berger in the last of the three round robin matches and needing to win but also for Poulter to lose to force a play-off with Poulter.

Should Poulter win a third straight encounter he would go through to the last 16 and also be assured of moving inside the World’s top-50 and receive a Masters invitation.