Southport golfer Tommy Fleetwood is competing in The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale as the tournament returns to his English hometown.
Atmosphere across the Lancashire coastal town built rapidly on late Tuesday evening, with crowded bars and restaurants spilling out onto the streets. Fans watched the France against Spain World Cup semi-final on beer garden screens, while spectators sought shade and cold refreshments from the summer heatwave. A group of supporters gathered outside a pub wearing matching T-shirts featuring Fleetwood's face, while a giant mural of the golfer was painted on the side of the Southport and Birkdale Sports Club building.
Fleetwood recalled sneaking onto the Royal Birkdale course as a child with his father, Peter. "We always went on late enough when the members were in the bar," Fleetwood said. "Dad was far too clever for them to catch us."
"It’s obviously very, very special, I think, for anybody that was lucky enough to grow up in the town of Southport," Fleetwood said. "It’s such a golfing town, and The Open at Birkdale holds such a special place in the area."
"Yeah, it’s a dream just to be competing in an Open here, so I feel very, very lucky," Fleetwood added. "I still have lots of memories from the 2017 Open here. Yeah, I’m just excited for the opportunity to play in front of everybody. It’s 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. I am very excited."
English Winners and Home Soil History
If Fleetwood wins the Claret Jug on Sunday night, he will become the first English winner of The Open Championship since Sir Nick Faldo won at Muirfield in 1992. All three of Faldo's Open victories took place on Scottish courses.
The last English player to win The Open on home soil was Tony Jacklin, who won at Royal Lytham in 1969 for his sole victory in the championship. Fleetwood will play in front of large home galleries, bringing added expectations alongside local support.
Fiery Links Conditions and Course Layout
Royal Birkdale is presenting a traditional links challenge as heatwave temperatures bake the Lancashire coast. The fairways are dry and firm, with some competitors reporting drives rolling out beyond 400 yards.
The R&A is working to prevent the greens from becoming frazzled and brown in the heat. The conditions mirror the 2006 Open Championship at Hoylake, where Tiger Woods won on a yellow and dusty course. Royal Birkdale features natural sand dunes and undulations that frame the holes for spectators, with the layout connecting directly into the adjoining town.
Practice Day Crowds and Birkdale Memories
Spectators turned out in large numbers for practice sessions, creating a long queue outside the official merchandise shop in the spectator village. Attendees managed the heat in various ways, including a young boy eating an ice cream cone before it melted while his father held an umbrella for shade.
Tournament organizers expect attendance to surpass the 235,000 spectators recorded during the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. That 2017 tournament featured a final round where Jordan Spieth defeated fellow American Matt Kuchar. Spieth missed the fairway by 50 yards to the right on the 13th hole, escaped with a bogey, and made several putts down the stretch to secure victory.
Defending Champion and Tournament Field
Scottie Scheffler enters the tournament as the reigning champion golfer of the year after winning by four strokes over Harris English at Royal Portrush last year. Scheffler missed his first cut in nearly four years at the Genesis Scottish Open last week, but remains a main contender alongside Rory McIlroy.
Scheffler is attempting to become the first player to win consecutive Open Championships since Padraig Harrington won back-to-back titles in 2007 and 2008. Fleetwood is scheduled to draw large crowds across his opening two rounds as he competes for his first major championship.
