It would be easy for Tommy Fleetwood to view the increased support he will receive at The Open this week as a burden, but the hometown hero insists he’s the “lucky one” ahead of his much-anticipated return to Royal Birkdale.
It is nine years since a then 26-year-old Fleetwood was the recipient of much fan - and media - attention when golf's oldest tournament was last held at the Southport venue.
Then, the Englishman was one of the form players in 2017, having won twice on the DP World Tour and been in the mix for victory at the U.S. Open.
In the near decade that has since passed, Fleetwood has become one of the game's most recognisable and undisputed global stars.
Last year, he ended his long-wait for a first PGA TOUR title at the TOUR Championship as he won the FedEx Cup, before forming part of Europe's Ryder Cup-winning team at Bethpage and claiming an eighth DP World Tour title in India.
After another supremely consistent first half of 2026, featuring top 20s in each of his last five starts, his prospects of sealing a first Major Championship success are being widely touted - something Fleetwood is not shying away from.
"It's an absolute dream to play here in my hometown in front of people that are all here to support me," he told media at a press conference on Monday. "There are only positives really.
"I think what you do have to deal with is how much you want it and your own expectations.
"But I think at the same time, I'm no different to any other person in terms of every single person that is playing in The Open dreams of winning in The Open and wants to win it.
"There's really nothing different to anybody else in that sense. I just think I am the lucky one that gets to have home support and use that as really positive fuel."
It was in 2017 that his fellow Merseysiders chanted 'C'mon Tommy lad' for 72 holes as he recovered from a dissapointing first-round 76 to play all four rounds and finish in a tie for 27th.
Now a far more experienced player, who is firmly part of the world's top ten, Fleetwood believes he is better prepared to capitalise on the goodwill that will come his way as he walks the fairways of a course he used to walk onto as a child decades ago.
Another chapter in his career that he believes will serve him well is how he performed amid similar levels of backing at Royal Liverpool in 2023, when he held a share of the first-round lead before finishing tied tenth.
"I think the first time I played here in 2017, I obviously had a bad first round," he recalled.
"I think my round on Friday was one of the best rounds I ever played to make the cut, and Saturday was a great experience going out so early with Justin [Rose].
READ MORE
The 154th Open: Five things to know
Explained: The changes made to Royal Birkdale ahead of Open Championship return
"Then you could turn and look at Royal Liverpool when I shot a great first round and was kind of in contention all the way through that week.
"I think those are experiences and memories that I'll have forever because it was such an amazing atmosphere and amazing support.
"I have all those things to draw on and I have all those things to sort of aim for, but like I say, if I just go back to the original me being an eight-year-old kid, the thought of playing in an Open at Birkdale was unbelievably special.
"So if you're not going to enjoy it, then you've kind of let yourself down in that sense."
Dreams do come true, we watch it all the time, but you'll never find out if yours will unless you chase it.
No English player has won The Open since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992, but Fleetwood is part of a strong contingent of players hoping to change that.
Earlier this season, Aaron Rai ended a 107-year wait for an English winner at the US PGA Championship by securing his maiden Major title at Aronimink.
Having already achieved much of what any player would wish to in their career, Fleetwood is relishing the "chase" in his quest to lift one of golf's four marquee titles.
"Same as for everybody," he added. "Dreams do come true, we watch it all the time, but you'll never find out if yours will unless you chase it.
"Mine might come true; it might not. I think I've done a lot in my career so far, but there's still plenty more to go."
This year marks the 11th time that Royal Birkdale will host The Open, with the 156-player field facing a new test after a series of renovations to the world-renowned layout were made from 2023 to 2025.
Among those, the 15th is a brand-new par three, while the pa- four fifth has undergone a complete redesign.
Fleetwood came to Birkdale prior to last week's Genesis Scottish Open as part of his preparations for the final men's Major of the year and he is excited about the impact the changes could have down the stretch with the course set to play firm and fast.
Asked for his thoughts on the course renovations, he said: "The fifth is a much better hole.
"As is always the case in par threes, you have to wait until a tournament plays to see how the [hole] plays.
Perfect day on the links!! pic.twitter.com/kdvXR5dt2K
— Tommy Fleetwood (@TommyFleetwood1) May 28, 2026
"I think the way that the course runs is good, and I think it's going to be an amazing finish. I think it's a great addition to the finish of the golf course."
While Fleetwood is likely to be the source of much fanfare, the 35-year-old isn't the only local boy teeing up
Fellow DP World Tour member Matt Baldwin is a long-time member at Royal Birkdale and has been given the honour of hitting the opening tee shot in Thursday's first round after securing his place through Final Qualifying.
Despite being five years younger than Baldwin, Fleetwood holds his countryman with much admiration having played county golf as juniors together.
"Matt was somebody I looked up to a lot as a junior golfer, amateur golfer," he said. "He was a very good golfer in the area. I've known him for a long time.
"I think it was amazing. I was really rooting for him to qualify for The Open.
"If anything, Matt is closer than me. He's a member here, and this is going to mean an awful lot to him.
"I was really happy for him. I saw him before, and I really hope he has an amazing tournament and does great.
"Matt was always somebody that I looked up to when I was younger, and he's always been someone who was so great with me, a junior golfer that was a bit younger than him, and he was always willing to give me the time or give me advice or play golf with me if I wanted to."
