Tommy Fleetwood

Tommy Fleetwood finished runner-up to Shane Lowry when The Open was last at Royal Portrush in 2019.

He also came second behind Brooks Koepka in the previous year’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills, where his closing 63 equalled the then championship record.

Fleetwood's near misses in America continued at the Travelers Championship in June. One ahead on the final tee he three-putted for bogey and Keegan Bradley birdied to take the victory.

Famed for his Ryder Cup exploits, his debut came in Paris in 2018 – on the same Golf National course where he lifted the French Open a year earlier and last summer took Olympic silver behind Scottie Scheffler.

In Paris he and Francesco Molinari won all their four games together in Europe’s triumph. Then in Rome he won three of his four matches, two of them alongside Rory McIlroy, before his singles victory over Rickie Fowler took Luke Donald’s side over the line.

The Englishman was the leading money-winner on the 2017 European Tour and during a climb into the world’s top ten twice won the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship.

He was runner-up in the 2008 Amateur Championship at the age of 17 and just missed out on The Open as a result. He also became the youngest-ever European Challenge Tour No.1 in 2011.

Fleetwood began last year with a one-stroke victory over McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence at the Dubai Invitational.