Merseyside favourite Tommy Fleetwood wowed the crowds on the first day of the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
The Southport man shot an impressive 66, leaving him in a three-way tie for the lead as the first rounds draws to a close tonight (Thursday July 20)
The 32-year-old surged into contention with a bogey-free back nine, including three consecutive birdies.
Huge crowds followed Fleetwood’s group, which included world number one Scottie Scheffler and popular Australian Adam Scott.
They flocked around every tee and green they played, with Fleetwood up there with Rory McIlroy as one of the biggest draws on the course.
Aiming to win his first major championship, Fleetwood reflected after his round on the rapturous reception he received.
He said: “It’s such a special opportunity to play so close to home, but to have that support and play an Open, I’m glad I gave them some good golf to watch.
“Having that support and people egging you on, whether you’re hit a good shot or a bad shot, good hole, bad hole, just pushes you on.”
The world number 21 has given himself an ideal platform to complete what would be an emotional victory having lost his mother a year ago.
He said: “It’ll be a year on Friday, so we know that that’s coming up. It would be nice to think that she’s watching over, I think.”
Other local interest came in the form of Hoylake club professional Matthew Jordan.
The 27-year-old hit the very first tee shot of the tournament at around 6.30am today and used his knowledge of the course to card a two-under-par 69.
Despite his inexperience at the top level, Jordan was anything but overawed by the occasion.
He said: “Ultimately, I want to perform. That is my main goal.
“I just want to play the golf course like I know I can, like I do in practice, like I normally will if I’m here preparing for any other events.
“I know that I can do well around here. For me it’s not letting the occasion dictate what I exactly do. It’s just me playing the golf course.”
Amateur Christo Lamprecht set the early pace, closing out his round with a birdie four on the final hole to lead at five under par before Fleetwood joined him.
Argentinian Emiliano Grillo closed out the day in sensational style with a birdie on the final hole – the mammoth 610-yard par five – joining Fleetwood and Lamprecht on five-under-par.
Europeans Antoine Rozner, Alex Noren and Adrian Otaegui also completed impressive first rounds.
Former Open champion Stewart Cink finished on three under par, alongside the recent US Open champion Wyndham Clark.
(Featured pic courtesy of R&A images)
