'Can't ask for more'

Playing in The Open at Royal Birkdale was the dream of a young Tommy Fleetwood. Winning one remains so heading into Championship Sunday.

The Southport star’s every shot has been roared on all week and the atmosphere reached fever pitch on Saturday afternoon.

A birdie at 5 raised the temperature. A perfectly-judged 30-footer for another one at 7 got the galleries believing.

When Fleetwood stiffed his approach at 11 to three feet and tapped in, he was within a shot of the lead at seven-under-par.

This is what they came for. The Open attracts a global audience but there was a distinctly north-western feel to the accents most audibly cheering him on.

His supporters span generations. One youngster attempted to put an extra spring in his step on the 6th fairway by telling Fleetwood that his beloved Everton had just won a pre-season friendly 4-0. Another had a face of pure delight after her homemade ‘Go Tommy Go’ sign was acknowledged with a high five by the man himself following his birdie at 7.

Those are the kind of memories Fleetwood retains from his visit to Royal Birkdale aged seven in 1998. And the fact he is creating them for those in attendance this week is not lost on him.

“There's no pressure on me at all really, except for my own expectations, and of course it's a really beautiful thing that the town is so hopeful for me and they want me to do well,” he said.

“I can't ask for any more from thousands and thousands of people out there. The crowd have been incredible. They've made a massive difference to me.

“Whatever happens tomorrow, with yesterday evening, the first tee every day, today when I was in contention, that's stuff that I'll have for life.

“How many people in the golfing world get to experience that with the crowd that much on your side?

“It's been a very special week for me no matter what. If I can get it tomorrow, I could make it even more special. We'll see.”

Fleetwood was unable to build on his birdie at 11, with bogeys at 15 and 18 costing him vital places on an ever-changing Moving Day leaderboard.

It means he has five shots to make up over the course of his final round but the exploits of his fellow professionals so far this week, three of whom have joined the 62 club, provide enough evidence to keep believing.

“I've dreamed of it most days since I was seven years old, and it still hasn't stopped,” he said.

“That's what life's about, right? You daydream and you dream about the biggest things possible and then you try and make it a reality.

“To be honest, I've been pretty close to it this week. Today was as close as you're going to get.

“I was within one of the lead at The Open playing on the back nine. It's been pretty close already, and then you've just got the ultimate at the end of it, which would be holding the Claret Jug.

“Life is all about experiences, and I think I've had some of the best experiences of my life so far this week.”

Fleetwood leads the home charge as The 154th Open reaches its crescendo, with Robert MacIntyre, Matt Wallace and Alex Fitzpatrick among those to falter on Saturday.

Frustration was inevitable after his hiccups down the stretch but Fleetwood is happy to be the hunter rather than the hunted heading into the final 18 holes of a momentous week.

“If you just look at things logically, I would rather be on a better score, of course," he said.

“But at the same time, if I can build some momentum, if I can get the crowd going a little bit and those roars echo around the golf course, you never know.

“I'm not really worried about that stuff, but I'll start to look at that tonight. Wherever I happen to play tomorrow, it's just about going out and shooting as best a round as possible."