The biggest tournament of Tommy Fleetwood’s career is just around the corner.
The British player once said that his favorite major to win was the British Open, and that he would rather win at Royal Birkdale than St Andrews. Birkdale is Fleetwood’s hometown, so he will have a huge house attached to it.
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Well, now is his chance. Golf’s oldest major tournament returns to Royal Birkdale for the first time since 2017, when Jordan Spieth lifted the Claret Jug. Fleetwood is aiming to become the first Briton to win the British Open at this historic major championship venue.
But how likely is he to do so? A week before the British Open began, he gave an honest assessment of the state of his game.
Photo by: Warren Little/Getty Images
Tommy Fleetwood evaluates his play a week before the British Open
After a rocky start to the season, Fleetwood is on track for the British Open. He qualified early in the Scottish Open and was two strokes off the lead after 18 holes.
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He said he is happy with the direction of his game at Birkdale. “I like where I’m at. Obviously, I think golf can change from day to day, but I’m not looking for anything in particular.
“I feel like I’ve put myself in good positions a lot over the last few weeks, but I haven’t had the results where I feel my golf is probably warranted.
“So, no, I really like where I’m at right now, just going at it every day with the right attitude and just taking the shot that’s in front of me and embracing it as much as I can. At this time of year, of course, for many of us, the British Open is just around the corner, and for many of us, the ultimate dream lies.
“I think managing that aspect and just going out and playing golf and enjoying it is sometimes the hardest thing. But hopefully I can continue to have that mindset.””
Tommy Fleetwood’s recent appearance
Many expected the lid to come off Fleetwood, who won his first PGA Tour victory at last year’s Tour Championship, but that wasn’t necessarily the case for the 2026 British player. Although he has not won on the PGA Tour since then, he has still enjoyed a highly successful season.
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He has six top-10s and two top-fives in 14 tournaments, but there is still room for improvement in his performance at major championships.
Fleetwood finished 33rd at the Masters, missed out on the PGA Championship, and fell outside the top 10 again after making a name for himself at the U.S. Open.
But as we have come to expect from Fleetwood, he has stepped up to perform week in and week out. Perhaps all he needs to get over the line in the majors is a boost from his home crowd.
