In general Young Earth Creationists believe in a global flood firstly because they adhere to a simple, literal reading of Genesis (which is why they believe that the Earth is young in the first place) and because it's the least bad explanation for the fossil record they can find.
Old Earth Creationists are more inclined to looser readings and tend to have a greater respect for the physical evidence (which is why they accept that the Earth is old). A local flood is not ruled out by Genesis and fits better with the actual evidence.
I would guess that your friend adheres to one of the ideas which tries to fit an Old Earth with a fairly strict reading of Genesis such as "Gap Theory". "Gap Theory" postulates a long gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 with the world created in 1:1 laid waste at the end of the period (leading into 1:2).