Tommy Fleetwood made his Open debut at Hoylake in 2014. Photo: Getty Images/Warren Little
Tommy Fleetwood admits he's lucky, and not just because of those sumptuous locks, amiable nature and ball-punching skills that make the greats weep. “I play the Home Open every five years or so,” he says. «And when I say house, I mean the real house.»
Fleetwood is a long-haired clubber from Liverpool. For Merseyside fans, the 32-year-old is «Tommy's boyfriend», an elite performer who embodies the hopes and dreams of the local population in the British Major. And in those parts, they hope and dream a lot.
Nine years ago, Fleetwood played in Open at Hoylake, and in 2017 he appeared in Open at Birkdale. On both occasions he was greeted by the scousers on the rafters of the club, but on both occasions he failed to live up to their articulate aspirations.
However, this time, when he returns to the links where he made his debut, Fleetwood feels that things will be different. “There will be no “wow!” Because I know what will happen next. I know I'm going to be hit with a 'Come on Tommy boy' barrage and I know how much I want to play well for them,» he says.
“The easiest thing to do is to feel that expectation and just give yourself too much importance. I have done this so many times. And again, I can still be wrong. Trying too hard and putting myself in a position where I can't play my best golf. But at least I've had that experience and I can plan to use it, enjoy it.
«It's not a burden, it's a blessing, because there are three outdoor venues — Birkdale, Hoylake and Lytham — within 30 miles of where I grew up in Southport. Is it rare to play a tournament close to home other than the Major? Three majors? Not many are so lucky.”
To be fair, Fleetwood was overbooked in 2014. It didn't help that it was 3:00 pm on Thursday — «waiting trying to act normal when your stomach hurts» — or that he was playing with John Daly. Open crowds flock to see the 1995 champion against all odds, but with one of them around and dinner pints, the scene was less R&A and more OTT.
Fleetwood made his Open debut at Hoylake in 2014. Photo: Getty Images/Paul Ellis
“I listened to a podcast with Steve Williams [who was Tiger Woods' caddy when he won at Hoylake in 2006] and he said the fans in Liverpool are different, louder, more raucous, more passionate,” says Fleetwood. “They know what golf is and are grateful, but they also let their emotions get in the way. I remember being nervous during the first game in 2014. It seemed like the whole city was there. I never came close to playing my own game. So inexperienced. I started slow and bled for the rest of the tournament. I missed by a few miles, but walked away thinking, “That was amazing.”
Fast forward three years and Fleetwood found himself in the wingspan of Liver Bird. He had finished fourth at the US Open the previous month and subsequently revealed that as a child, he and his father Pete would sneak up to the revered Birkdale links to play a few holes. The stage has been set. Rogue returns to be champion.
The Liverpool echo announced the outbreak of «fleetwood fever» and grown men appeared in «Tommy Lad wigs». Together with Brooks Koepka and Hideki Matsuyama, not only Southport, but the whole world watched this.
“I won twice that year and I thought I was ready, and maybe I was, but sometimes golf is not like that,” he says. “I shot a .76 without making too many mistakes and a few people gave me a stick for actually saying it afterwards. It was a shock. But if you ask my father or Fino [Ian Finnis, his caddy] what my best round is, it won't be 63rd in the majors or the Ryder Cup or when I won or something like that — it will be that Friday in Birkdale. /p>
“My 69th round was the lowest in the last five or six hours of play and I cut the number. I was proud of it and went home absolutely thrilled to be able to play the next day. It's not just about winning. The next morning I played with Justin Rose in about the third group at 9:30, the gates opened at 9:00. First thing on Saturday and it was the busiest and noisiest crowd I've ever played in front of. Justin and I looked at each other and said, «This is crazy.» How can you not love it?”
In 2017, Fleetwood fought for victory under tough conditions at Royal Birkdale. Photo: Getty Images/David Blunsden
Fleetwood was 12 when he first played Hoylake. “By then I was no longer handicapped at four, so I could handle it just fine,” he says with trademark humility. “One of my best friends was a member, so I played a little, but not as well as a lot of people might think. Many people have said to me, «You must know Hoylake like the back of your hand?» Well, the last time I played it was Friday of the Open in 2014 and I played c—.
< p>“But I feel comfortable and at home there. And, of course, I'm a completely different golfer and competitor than I was back then, and knocked on the main door several times. The way it is. It's just that you allow it to come out in this tense environment. As an Everton fan, I will get a couple of injections, but only as a joke. The support will be incredible and it will be a privilege.”
His build-up has received several headlines. On his way to fifth place at the US Open four weeks ago, he was on the verge of finishing in the top 62 at a major US tournament. «When you know you've got those rounds, it's reassuring.»
He was pictured at the Royal Box at Wimbledon last week looking the epitome of cool in a shirt, tie, sunglasses and fedora hat . He saw Carlos Alcaraz on the first Friday and, like Rory McIlroy, is a big fan. “He has a fantastic attitude,” says Fleetwood. “His mission is to win, but his priority is to have fun. This is a lesson for everyone.”
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