USPGA CHAMPIONSHIP, I L VE NY

Tommy wants major bite of Big Apple to go one better than last year

TOMMY FLEETWOOD is aiming to be main attraction for the second week running when he tees up at the season’s second Major.

The Southport sensation hosted last week’s British Masters in his own backyard at Hillside, as organisers cashed in on his Ryder Cup fame.

And although he fell short on the final day, Fleetwood (right) is raring to go as he tries to secure a first Major title when the USPGA Championship starts at Bethpage Black in New York on Thursday.

Fleetwood arrived yesterday hoping to go one better than his runner-up finish at last year’s US Open.

“It would be brilliant to be in contention,” he said. “I swung it pretty well at the British Masters but it all caught up with me on Sunday. I think it hindered my competitiveness towards the end and I got tired. But I’ve got plenty of time to prepare for Thursday.

“I haven’t played competitively the week before a Major for a while so it will be interesting to see how that goes.

“The Majors are coming thick and fast now and it’s a great time to try to hit a bit of form.”

British Masters runner-up Eddie Pepperell will have his first look at the notoriously tough Long Island course

tomorrow having chosen not to travel on the special charter plane put on from Manchester on Sunday.

Pepperell, who yesterday moved up to his equal-highest world ranking at No.33, has a unique take on pretournament reconnaissance.

He said: “I’m not bothered about doing too much preparation. The Masters was the first Major I’d played in the last four where I’d actually played the whole course before Thursday. I’m not very competitive in practice rounds. I’m terrible, really.”

He will play the front nine today and the back nine tomorrow and then take his chances. “I’m going there to have a bit of fun, enjoy it for what it is, and not really set too many expectations,” he added. “I’ll try to make some birdies but that’s tough at Bethpage.”

This year’s Northern Ireland Open, in mid-august, will open its doors to women professionals as the Challenge Tour event transforms into the mixed ISPS Handa World Invitational.