Tommy gunning for glory and bid to emulate Faldo

to break his Major duck. Sir Nick Faldo was the last Englishman to win The Open, at Muirfield 27 years ago.

“When these chances come around you want to take them,” said Fleetwood, runner-up at last year’s US Open.

“It’s your chance of putting your name in the history of the game. For sure, all of us dream of having Majors in our career and taking those opportunities.

“You don’t know how many times you’re going to actually get the chance to compete at the back end of a draw on Saturday or Sunday in a Major, and it’s important to embrace it and enjoy it, whatever happens.

“I want to make it happen. I want to win a Major. But with 36 holes down out of 72, there’s still a long way to go.”

The English trio will be chasing down joint leaders JB Holmes, of the United States, and local favourite Shane Lowry, who will have the backing of the huge Irish crowds.

“Next week I’ll be at a tournament in Memphis and there will be 10 men and a dog following me,” said Lowry, 32, who missed the cut at the last four Opens.

“Tomorrow there will be thousands of Irishmen. It’s very exciting.

“I can’t explain how good it is to be out there in the middle of all that, to be between the ropes hitting the shots.

“You can’t help but smile, you can’t help but laugh how it is. It’s an incredible feeling getting applauded on every green, every tee box. I’m out there giving my best, trying to do my best for everyone.”

Lowry, who is ranked 33rd in the world, added: “If they had offered this to me at the start of the week, I would have taken it. I’m really happy to be where I am.

“I really enjoyed it. There aren’t too many days like that. It’s hard to describe.

“Oakmont was so long ago and I was a lot younger,” said Lowry, referring to his tie for second place at the 2016 US Open.

“If I get the opportunity this week I’ll be better. It took me a while, but I’ve got over that.” whether there’s a nail file in the bag. “My favourite was from Denmark the first week she caddied for me, and I took out a divot. She’s walking back with the divot, saying, ‘I hope there’s not a worm in this’.

“She makes me smile. big advantage.”

Storey became Westwood’s assistant last November after he split with long-time caddie Billy Foster.

His son Sam has also helped out but has a tournament of his own this week. So, the pair booked a seaside break in Northern Ireland together with some coastal walking – and a few golf shots thrown in. “I It’s a