SOUTHPORT, England (AP) 鈥� As a kid growing up in Southport, Tommy Fleetwood regarded Royal Birkdale as virtually off limits 鈥� except for those rare occasions he sneaked on to hit some shots while accompanying his father on evening dog walks.
鈥淗allowed turf,鈥� is how a young, wide-eyed Fleetwood viewed the course in this golf-crazed corner of northwest England that, every few years, would welcome the world鈥檚 best players for the .
His dream of making it there himself one day and lifting the claret jug 鈥� a scenario which, who knows, might just happen on the 18th green at Birkdale on Sunday evening 鈥� began a 10-minute drive down the road in more humble environs.
Southport Municipal, a club that proudly labels itself as England鈥檚 oldest municipal links course, staged a junior program on Monday nights and it was there where Fleetwood鈥檚 golfing journey launched around the age of 6.
And it鈥檚 why Will Burke, a 40-year-old from Birmingham, Alabama, pitched up there on Wednesday with his father, Randy. They paid 19 pounds ($25) each to play 18 holes under a gorgeous blue sky.
鈥淲e鈥檙e here for the golf this week,鈥� Will said, 鈥渁nd we met with some locals who were really complimentary about the place and said it鈥檚 right down the street from where we鈥檙e staying.
鈥淲hen you hear the story about Tommy Fleetwood鈥檚 origins and how he got started in the Southport area, that鈥檚 the cherry on top.鈥�
Nothing inside this muni鈥檚 modest club shop, or indeed anywhere at the course, points to Fleetwood being its most famous son. Strangely, there’s not a mention of him anywhere.
Look further afield around these parts, though, and it鈥檚 clear this popular golfer with distinctive flowing locks and a forever-friendly manner is a hometown hero.
Fleetwood sees huge support as 鈥榬eally positive fuel鈥�
There鈥檚 a mural of Fleetwood 鈥� pumping his fists and wearing his blue Team Europe Ryder Cup uniform 鈥� on the wall of Southport & Birkdale Sports Club.
There鈥檚 the Tommy Fleetwood Academy at nearby Formby Hall golf club, where he first became a member and won his only club championship as a kid. Youngsters from the academy have lined up for autographs from Fleetwood next to the practice putting green this week.
There’s been no bigger buzz during the practice days than when the 35-year-old Fleetwood has been on the course.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very rare to have an opportunity to play a tournament, let alone the Open, in the town where you grew up in front of fans that were all there to support you,鈥� Fleetwood said.
鈥淭o see people emotionally invested in you 鈥� I think it鈥檚 very special. It definitely doesn鈥檛 go unnoticed by me.鈥�
The natural question is, will it heap too much pressure on him?
Fleetwood sees it as 鈥渞eally, really positive fuel.鈥�
鈥淚f I just go back to the original me being an 8-year-old kid, the thought of playing in an Open at Birkdale was unbelievably special,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o if you鈥檙e not going to enjoy it, then you鈥檝e kind of let yourself down.鈥�
Fleetwood has already had experience of playing in the Open at Royal Birkdale, in 2017 when he shot a first-round 76 to essentially drop him out of contention. He described a bounce-back 69 to make the cut as 鈥渙ne of the best rounds I ever played鈥� and finished tied for 27th.
Fleetwood was tied for the first-round lead at the staged nearby at Royal Liverpool, where he also was billed as the home favorite. He faded to a tie for 10th, nine shots back from champion Brian Harman.
Rory knows the feeling
Rory McIlroy knows what Fleetwood is going through. McIlroy was the guy most in the crowd were rooting for when the Open Championship made an emotional return to Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland in 2019 鈥� after an absence of 68 years 鈥� and again last year.
McIlroy missed the cut the first time after a nightmarish first-round 79 but said he handled things better the second time, when he tied for seventh.
鈥淵ou feel like you鈥檙e trying to play well for everyone else and not for yourself,鈥� McIlroy said. 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 already enough pressure on anyone in this field to play well for themselves, so to add that extra layer on top of that is always pretty difficult.
鈥淏ut,鈥� he added, 鈥淚 feel like Tommy鈥檚 more level-headed than I am and won鈥檛 fall into that trap like I did in 2019.鈥�
Away from the lofty expectations of the locals in this seaside town, Fleetwood comes back home under pressure to end his wait for a first major title.
last August was celebrated beyond English shores because it was his first PGA Tour title and he’d come so close so many times, handling each near-miss with dignity and grace.
Now it’s time for Fleetwood to capture that elusive major and there’d be no more popular winner on Sunday, especially to the people of Southport, who keep welcoming back with open arms.
鈥淓verybody loves him, everybody respects him, whether they’ve met him or not. We own a little bit of him,鈥� said Patrick Hodgson, a 71-year-old member at Southport Municipal who has followed Fleetwood’s rise from talented local kid to one of the world’s best players.
鈥淚f he wins, it would be celebrated here for days and months and years.鈥�
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