Tommy admits this one did hurt

TOMMY FLEETWOOD was left rueing his failure to apply any heat on Shane Lowry after finishing a distant second to him yesterday.

The 28-year-old from Southport, who also finished runner-up at last year’s US Open, admitted his latest near-miss hurt more than the loss to Brooks Koepka at Shinnecock Hills.

“I’m disappointed and a bit low,” said Fleetwood. “Those first few holes, when you start four back, are pretty crucial. I didn’t do a good enough job of pressing at that point.

“I’m happy for Shane, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not great now how I’m feeling.

“I’m not putting down the US Open but if I could pick one event it would be The Open. It’s my dream and it always will be and I was teeing off in the last group on Sunday with a very good chance.

“So it feels a lot rougher when you feel like you’ve come so close to what you’ve dreamed of as a kid.”

Fleetwood, who shot a closing three-over-par 74, described the conditions during the final round as “shocking, shocking weather” and paid tribute to Lowry’s ability to stay afloat.

“It was just brutal,” said Fleetwood. “That’s part of The Open, that’s what it’s supposed to be like and it was rough at times. I think the course proved really difficult.

“I think everybody would have got to a point when they started going backwards. When the winds are like that on a links course it plays hard – that’s just the way it is.

“I think that makes Shane’s round of one over today even more impressive.

“He literally controlled the tournament from the start of yesterday until the end and that’s a very impressive thing to do.”

From Darren Clarke’s opening drive on Thursday to Shane Lowry’s winning ovation yesterday, the Antrim course was a massive hit.

The 68-year gap since the last Open in Northern Ireland proved worth the wait as the atmosphere and record-breaking crowd guaranteed this would not be the last Major across the Irish Sea.

Neither home favourite Rory McIlroy missing the cut nor yesterday’s trademark wind and rain could dampen spirits just down the road from the Bushmills Distillery.

And Portrush’s McDowell, who had fought back the tears before his first tee shot, said: “It’s been special. The people have been amazing this week. The golf course has been phenomenal.

“I’ve enjoyed every second. Everyone is telling me this is the favourite Open venue they’ve ever been to. It