Opening shot
Fleetwood is ready for Carnoustie
As the reigning European No 1 and world No 10, Tommy Fleetwood’s chances at the 147th Open would be persuasive enough regardless. But a pair of 63s elevates his candidature from the promising to the thrillingly enticing. The first showed he has the game for the majors. The second showed he has the game for Carnoustie.
Of course, the 63 in the final round of the US Open four weeks ago should be at the forefront of the mind of anyone backing the 27-year-old to become England’s first recipient of the Claret Jug in 26 years.
Jordan Spieth, the American who will be defending the Open when it tees off on Thursday, called Fleetwood’s round “absurd”. “He had a putt at Shinnecock Hills for a 62 at a US Open on a Sunday,” Spieth said. “Unheard of.”
When asked about it, Fleetwood is rather more sanguine. “It was almost good enough wasn’t it?,” he said. “It got me within one of Brooks [Koepka] and gave me my best finish in a major. Yeah, there was that birdie putt on the 18th [from eight feet] for the first 62 ever at a US Open, but I’m not looking at it as a missed opportunity. That told me what is possible.” In truth, it alerted everyone and duly his odds plummeted for his home major. Together with Justin Rose, Fleetwood is the main hope of ending the barren spell that stretches all the way back to Sir Nick Faldo at Muirfield in 1992 and his performance at the so-called “Beast of Angus” nine months ago will inevitably only add to the clamour.
“The best thing about that 63 was that I was playing with Rory [McIlroy]. So, one of the greatest golfers of all time signed my scorecard for a 63 at Carnoustie. That scorecard is a keeper. It’s funny, because I didn’t know I’d done it. We’d just had our baby and I was a bit zoned out. But it was a pretty big thing, because it’s Carnoustie, with its reputation, and I think it could stand for quite a while.
“Does it have any relevance to this Open? Well, the course is a completely different set-up for starters, but I think if my best score on Carnoustie was 75, then I wouldn’t go in with as much confidence, would I? I’ve got visions of good shots around there, I’ve putted well around there and no, I’ve never played an Open there when the rough is up and everything, but it can only help that I have good memories and vibes about the place. Yet, I won’t get carried away.”
Not after what happened last year. Then, after finishing fourth at the US Open, Fleetwood went into Royal Birkdale as the local hero.
The story quickly did the rounds of how as a boy he would hop through the fence to play a few shots on the exclusive links, and so the romance of the scamp returning through the main gates to lift golf ’s greatest prize dominated the build-up. But with “go on, Tommy lad” reverberating around the dunes, he struggled to a firstround 76 and although there was a spirited comeback with a 69 and 66, the ground initially lost was too great.
“That first tee was a different atmosphere to anything I’d experienced before, it was so enclosed and everybody was rooting for me. It can happen, you have bad rounds. It ebbs and flows and anyone who really knows golf understands that. But, definitely, that was the first time the spotlight had been on me, and it is case of learning and just managing expectations better the next time. But then, looking back, I did write down things afterwards, but could I really have done that much differently?”
The little black book is an important factor in Fleetwood’s career. Well, it would be, if he could ever find it. “I keep losing it and so there’s just scraps of paper all over the house. I’m trying to get better at it, because I think people, and especially professional sports people, should do.
“For example, last month I nearly win the US Open and then literally two tournaments later the questions are being asked if there’s any problem after my missed cut in France. That’s why you should write things down exactly as you feel. A lot of players, myself included, have a psychologist, and then if you have your feelings at hand they can put it in a more rational way. I do read them back. It’s important and keeps you on the level.”
Alas, there were no entries at St Andrews in 2015. For the first time, Fleetwood had swaggered into a major believing he could win and two days later came out of it fearing for his future. There was no “level”, just a shocking 13-month slide out of the world’s top 180.
“I’d finished in the top 10 at the Scottish Open the week before, was up to 47th in the world, my highest ranking at that point, and fancied my chances. I was hitting it great and did so again in the first round, shooting a 69. But then, I got to the range on Friday, I just couldn’t hit.
“Seriously, I didn’t know where it was going. I shot a 76, missed the cut and instead of writing it off as another bad round and going back to my notes, it was a massive shock. It hit me hard and I didn’t really recover mentally. It was the start of the slump, five missed cuts in a row and not many good performances after it for a long time.
“It just shows it’s so easy for it to start going wrong. And it happens to players a lot. You just need to know what you’re doing and have people around you to keep you on track.”
It was only the following year after Fleetwood had reassembled his team – reappointing his old coach Alan Thompson and employing best friend Ian Finnis on the bag – that the track was finally relocated. And now it has brought him to such a tantalising position. Everything has changed so quickly for Fleetwood – certainly off the course where he has married his manager Clare and brought Frankie into the world. There is celebrity to nurture as well.
“I am getting recognised more. It’s the long hair – it’s a dead giveaway isn’t it? Winning the Race to Dubai [the European Tour money list] last year raised my profile, but probably not as much as playing alongside Tiger [Woods] at the Masters. I enjoy it and it’s all part of it. I mean, I’m planning on spending more time as one of the favourites to win these tournaments.
“Yeah, I’m only 27, and each one is a learning experience like last year’s Open, I guess, but there’s no time like the present.
“Purely on the results, the US Open does seem to be the major I’m most likely to win at the moment and it does suit me, but the Open was always the one I most wanted to win and as long as I’m doing well there will be that. That’ll apply at Carnoustie, I’m sure, and I wouldn’t mind shooting another 63 there.”
Four of them would be even better.
‘One of the greatest golfers of all time signed my scorecard for a 63 at Carnoustie. That card is a keeper’