HOYLAKE, England – Tommy Fleetwood played his first Open Championship at Royal Liverpool in 2014 on his way to nervy rounds of 74-76 and a missed cut. Having grown up 20 miles north of Hoylake, it was an understandably overwhelming moment.
“It was just such a huge occasion and a big thing and I was very happy to be playing my first Open, and I sort of didn't really get out of the box and particularly play well,” Fleetwood admitted.
Now 32 years old with eight previous starts at The Open under his belt, Fleetwood’s return this year to the Wirral Peninsula has been much more comfortable as evidenced by an opening 66 that moved him into a share of the early lead alongside amateur Christo Lamprecht.