TOMMY’S TILT AT GLORY
Fleetwood rues one that got away after record-equalling 63
Tommy Fleetwood began the final round of the US open yesterday, six shots off the lead and with a simple message of intent.
‘ I told myself, go out and shoot the greatest round in the tournament’s history and see what happens,’ he said afterwards.
Goodness, how close he came to doing just that. Literally, a couple of inches, in fact. As he stood over a nine-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, Fleetwood knew he needed to hole it to become not just the first man to shoot 62 in a US open but any major championship staged in America.
Given the first one was staged in 1895 and there have been nearly 300 in total since then, a landmark moment for the sport had clearly moved into view.
Fleetwood composed himself. The putt had to be struck firmly if it was to hold its straight line but he undercooked it a fraction going up the hill, and it drifted to the right.
Fleetwood closed his eyes in disappointment because he knew what was at stake, but he still had so much to be proud about.
As it was, he became only the sixth man to shoot 63 in a US open, joining the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Johnny miller on that mark.
It was the lowest round posted at a US open at Shinnecock by two strokes, and also sits nicely alongside the course record 63 he shot last year at Carnoustie, the site of The open next month.
‘I suppose if I had the chance to go back I’d hit the putt a bit harder, because I knew what it was for in terms of history,’ said Fleetwood.
‘But I made so many good putts before it I can’t have too many complaints. It was a great round of golf.’
Whatever happened to Saturday’s unplayable course, you might wonder? Having made it too hard one day, the hapless organisers went somewhat the other way with soft greens and kind pin positions, turning what is supposed to be the hardest major into a potential birdie-fest.
It wasn’t as easy as Fleetwood made it look, mind, as he underlined why he is considered by his peers among the best ball strikers in the modern game. on this day, he had a putting stroke to match as he reached the turn in 32 shots, with four birdies in his first seven holes against one bogey at the ninth.
Fleetwood kept his foot on the accelerator, ar birdieing four holes in a row from the 12th to surge into contention. They were going in from everywhere at this point, as s he rolled in every ry 30-foot putt he looked ked at. It was thrilling stuff.
Fleetwood did little le wrong thereafter. Three more wonderful iron shots were delivered to set up realistic birdie chances, from 15 feet at the 16th and 20 feet at the 17th, before the shortest one of all at the last, but fate decreed that he had used up his quota.
The one at the 18th was the one that induced a tinge of regret. you could see it in his face as he took off his cap to acknowledge the generous ovation and looked up at the huge leaderboard. ‘Not often you walk off the 18th feeling a smidgen of disappointment point after a 63, is it?’ he said cheerfully. Surveying S his position ti on the leaderboard b at that moment, he added: ‘you always feel like it won’t be enough, but we’ll have to wait and an see. I’d have felt a l lot more confident with the way the greens were in the third round but they’ve they been watered and the pins are definitely more accessible.’ At that stage, there were two players who were one stroke ahead of him on a total of one over par. one was the masters champion Patrick Reed, who holed putts from everywhere early on, and the other was the defending champion, Brooks Koepka, bidding to become only the third man since 1945 to retain this title.
Reed faltered with three bogeys in four holes to fall two behind. Koepka struggled a little around the turn as well, but holed a crucial putt at the 11th to stay one ahead. Koepka won his title playing alongside Fleetwood last year and remained a stroke in front with five holes to play.
Alongside him on this occasion was world No 1 Dustin Johnson, who was struggling with his putting. He fell two behind Fleetwood after three-putting the 11th and the 14th.
Tony Finau and Daniel Berger, also tied for the lead at the start of play, were two behind Fleetwood with six to go.
Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson were running out of holes at three and four strokes off the pace respectively, while another Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, shot 69 for a commendable top-10 finish.