England's World Cup dream ended Wednesday, but Royal Birkdale now gives Tommy Fleetwood a chance to deliver a memorable week for his hometown.
The mood across England this week is a mix of heartbreak and hope. On Wednesday, the country watched England fall to Argentina 2 to 1 in the World Cup semifinals, a loss that will linger. By Thursday morning, the attention on Merseyside had already shifted to a different stage and a different hometown favorite.
Tommy Fleetwood is coming home.
The Open returns to Royal Birkdale for the 11th time this week, and no player in the 156 man field has a deeper connection to the course. Fleetwood was born in Southport and grew up playing these links. When he steps onto the first tee, he does so as the hometown favorite.
"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 who are all there to support you," Fleetwood said. "To see people emotionally invested in you … I think it's very special. It definitely doesn't go unnoticed by me."
This year feels different because Fleetwood arrives as a winner. He captured the 2025 Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup for his first PGA Tour victory, ending years of questions about when he would break through. He has carried that form into 2026 with six top 10 finishes and three top fives, including a tie for 11th at the Genesis Scottish Open.
A major championship is the missing piece. Fleetwood came close in 2019, and his first major title has long felt within reach. Winning at Royal Birkdale, in front of the people who watched him grow up, would make the moment even bigger.
The pressure is an obvious storyline, Fleetwood sees it differently. He called it "really, really positive fuel."
"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," he said. "So if you're not going to enjoy it, then you've kind of let yourself down."
Four strong rounds would give Fleetwood the biggest victory of his career. It would also give England a sporting moment to celebrate after a difficult week.
