Southport, United Kingdom: Local lad Tommy Fleetwood was delighted as he battled through the nasty weather at Royal Birkdale on Friday to make the cut at the British Open for the first time.
The 26-year-old Southport native had never made it to the weekend in three previous attempts and had seriously compromised his chances of doing so on home turf after an opening round of 76 on Thursday.
But he scrapped through the wind and rain in his second round to shoot a 69 that allowed him to climb to five over par and sneak inside the cut mark.
“After yesterday I needed the weather to be bad, really. And I definitely got that to start,” said Fleetwood, ranked 14 in the world after some excellent form this year.
“But then you’ve got to play and make a score. And I was happy to give the people watching me something to cheer about.”
He had two birdies and a bogey on the back nine and then converted a difficult up-and-down at the last to secure his weekend berth.
“It took me a long time to make a birdie. But it’s great. I feel a lot better coming off the course than yesterday. But just to make the cut, it’s massive.
“It’s my first cut at the Open, and my fourth start. And it’s just nice to give them something to cheer about, really.”
Fleetwood was hoping to emulate his recent showing at the US Open, when he came fourth, this weekend.
Sitting 11 shots adrift of leader Jordan Spieth makes contending for overall victory surely too great an ask, but he is hoping to climb the scoreboard.
“I’ll be up early in the morning trying my best. You never know with the Open, you never know with the conditions, what’s around the corner.
“I’ve never played a weekend at the Open, so I actually don’t know, really. It will just be nice to be playing now.”
