Tommy Fleetwood carded an opening-round 66 to share the lead with Christo Lamprecht; The Englishman posted his lowest opening round in a major to make a fast start to The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool; Watch live all week on Sky Sports Golf
Thursday 20 July 2023 16:52, UK
Tommy Fleetwood is refusing to get carried away about the possibility of securing a maiden major title after grabbing a share of the clubhouse lead at The 151st Open.
The Englishman lived up to pre-tournament expectations by firing the lowest opening round of his major career, mixing six birdies with a lone bogey to post a five-under 66 at Royal Liverpool and share the clubhouse lead with amateur Christo Lamprecht.
Fleetwood was cheered on by huge crowds in Hoylake, a short journey from where he was brought up, with the world No 21 admitting his fast start was one of the most enjoyable rounds he has experienced in a major.
"It was very cool and I think you can't ask for more from the fans and the support," Fleetwood said. "They were so great to me today. From the first tee onwards, throughout the round, the way they were down the last hole there, the reception I got.
"Such a special opportunity to play so close to home, but have that support and play an Open, glad I gave them some good golf to watch. So, so cool for me to step out on the golf course and getting that kind of support.
"It's always going to be a great time, having the support like that. But on top of it playing a great round it does feel really good. Yeah, it's up there [as one of the most enjoyable rounds]."
Fleetwood got up and down from the rough to save par at the first but missed a 10-foot birdie try at the next, then followed a two-putt birdie at the fifth by dropping a shot at the par-three sixth.
The six-time DP World Tour winner immediately bounced back by converting from 10 feet at the next hole and began his back-nine charge by converting from 25 feet at the 11th.
Fleetwood made a 10-footer at the 14th for the first of three consecutive birdies, including from 25 feet at the 16th, before signing off a bogey-free back nine by two-putting from long range to save par at the last.
"I guess for any tournament, you just want to get off to a fast start," Fleetwood added. "It's not really been my strength recently. Started tournaments pretty slow, so to get something going today felt really good.
"Honestly, from the fifth or sixth onwards felt like I started hitting good golf shots and I had some chances, but my putts were close rolling at the hole. Just a case of finally getting on a run really through there. As first rounds go, that's absolutely the one you wanted."
Fleetwood narrowly missed out on a maiden PGA Tour title at the RBC Canadian Open last month and finished tied-fifth at the US Open a week later, then arrived at the final men's major of the year off the back of claiming a share of sixth at the Genesis Scottish Open.
"I think whenever you have a good result, I think there's validation in the work that you're doing," Fleetwood added. "It's much better having good results than getting kicked in the teeth all the time, when you feel like you're working so hard and you're doing the right things.
"We're obviously in this period where I have to be patient and trusting in what we're doing and show good results, and there's times where it could go either way, and it hasn't gone my way yet. All I want to do is keep working hard, keep playing, and keep putting myself in position, and obviously, it'll be my turn soon."
Watch The 151st Open throughout the week exclusively live on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the second round begins on Friday from 6.30am on Sky Sports Golf.
