SOUTHPORT, England — If you listen closely enough to the television broadcast of the British Open this week from Royal Birkdale, you’re going to hear more than a few, “Come on, Tommy lad,’’ chants.
That’s because one of the favorites to hoist the Claret Jug this week is Tommy Fleetwood, who’s a hometown lad from these parts, born and raised in Southport, on the northwest coast of England, walking distance from Birkdale.
There are images of the 35-year-old Fleetwood — the Son of Southport, who’s ranked No. 9 in the world — everywhere around Birkdale, where he and his dad, Pete, were known to sneak onto the championship course back in the day — long before Tommy became one of the biggest names in the game.
“Birkdale was always kind of hallowed turf for people that lived in Southport,’’ Fleetwood said Monday.
Down the road from Birkdale is Formby Hall, where Fleetwood grew up playing and where his father is a member.
There’s a permanent parking spot in Tommy’s name and an annual junior competition at the club where the winner is called the “Tommy Fleetwood Champion.’’
There, too, is a corner lounge of the club’s bar area called the “Tommy Fleetwood Lounge,’’ where many pints of local lager are consumed after rounds of golf.
If Fleetwood was not playing in the Open this week, he might have a complaint or two about the tournament infringing on the property of his home club, Hillside, which happens to sit adjacent to Birkdale.
The players practice ground for the tournament is actually on the practice area for Hillside, where Fleetwood has been a member since he turned pro.
“It’s obviously very, very special,’’ Fleetwood said Monday. “It’s very rare to have an opportunity to play a tournament, let alone The Open, in the town where you grew up in front of fans that were all there to support you. I still have lots of memories from the 2017 Open here.’’
The last time the Open was played at Birkdale was nine years ago, in 2017, and that’s where the “Tommy lad’’ chants were born, because that was, to a large extent, Fleetwood’s introduction to the public eye in golf.
The “Son of Southport’’ followed a shaky opening-round 76 with a 69 to barely make the cut and then 66 and 70 on the weekend to finish in a tie for 27th.
And he was as much the star of the show as the winner that week, Jordan Spieth.
There’s been an argument that perhaps the pressure to perform in front of his home fans might outweigh the pleasure it’ll be to play in front of them for Fleetwood.
He doesn’t buy into that.
“You can’t hide from it,’’ he said. “There’s no way I can underplay it. If I just go back to the original me being an 8-year-old kid, the thought of playing in an Open at Birkdale was unbelievably special. You own how much you want it. So, if you’re not going to enjoy it, then you’ve kind of let yourself down in that sense. I’m just excited for the opportunity to play in front of everybody.
“At the end of the day, as much as it means to me — and I would never play it down how big it feels to play an Open at Birkdale and how amazing it would be to win an Open — but it is still like a game of golf and people would dream of being in the situation I’m in. It’s still important to remember that and enjoy it.’’
Fleetwood has one PGA Tour victory — at the 2025 Tour Championship.
He’s been a consistent machine this year, with five top 10 finishes, with three in the top 5. In his last 15 starts, he’s finished in the top 15.
His best finish in an Open was runner-up in 2019 at Portrush, and he finished tied for fourth in 2022 at St Andrews.
Maybe this is the week he breaks through and wins a first major. In his hometown of all places.
“Dreams do come true,’’ Fleetwood said. “We watch it all the time. But you’ll never find out if yours will unless you chase it. Mine might come true. It might not. I think I’ve done a lot in my career so far, but yeah, there’s still plenty more to go.’’
The most prominent image of Fleetwood in the area is a 50-meter-tall mural of him on the wall of the Southport & Birkdale Sports Club, painted by an acclaimed local street artist named Paul Curtis.
“Golf is a very individual sport, and I feel like I spend my life, as every other golfer does, chasing your goals and your dreams, and you do that sort of on a very individual basis,’’ Fleetwood said. “I’ve always been very lucky with support all around the world, but then to see people very much emotionally invested in you and showing things like that, I think it’s very special. It definitely doesn’t go unnoticed by me.’’
Fleetwood is one of the most popular players among golf fans, but among his fellow players, too.
“I don’t know anyone who would say a bad word about Tommy, he’s such a great guy,’’ fellow Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick said Monday.
“Come on, Tommy lad.’’
