Major championships cannot be won on a Thursday but they most certainly can be lost. Just ask Tommy Fleetwood. The 32-year-old has displayed a recent habit of sluggish starts in golf’s marquee events that have left him playing a level of catch-up he has been unable to master. Fleetwood began the 2022 Open with a 72 and tied fourth. At last month’s US Open, he shared fifth after opening with a 73.
The times may be a-changing. Fleetwood’s five-under-par 66 on day one at the 151st Open Championship at a sun-kissed Royal Liverpool represents his lowest first round in a major. Finally, he has been Usain Bolt from the traps. On a leaderboard that is adequate rather than striking in respect of star star attractions, Fleetwood stands out. He has it within his want to end a preposterous record; the last Englishman to win the Open in his home nation was Tony Jacklin in 1969.
