ROYAL BIRKDALE, England — The last major of the year is here, and for Tommy Fleetwood, it’s not just another tournament. He grew up playing these links. He knows every ridge and crosswind on this course. And he’s still searching for that first major title.
Let’s be clear: Fleetwood is already one of the best players without a major on his résumé. Maybe the best. He won the FedEx Cup last season. He’s got seven top-five finishes in majors, two of them at The Open. The man can play. But that one missing piece keeps coming up in every interview, every conversation about his career.
So when he sat down before The Open at Royal Birkdale this week, he didn’t dodge the question.
“I think winning majors is kind of like the ultimate accolade in our sport,” Fleetwood said. “It’s a difficult one. I don’t think I wanna look towards the future and think that I have to win a major to feel fulfilled. We spend our lives giving it everything. It might happen for me, it might not.”
He paused, then added something that landed a little harder.
“Dreams do come true, we watch it all the time, but you’ll never find out if yours will if you don’t chase it. Mine might come true, it might not. I think I’ve done a lot in my career so far, but there’s still plenty more to go. Until my time is up, I’ll just keep trying.”
The Homecoming Factor
This isn’t just another major for Fleetwood from a sentimental standpoint. Royal Birkdale is where he learned the game. He lives in Southport, a short drive from the course. The galleries will be packed with people who’ve watched him since he was a kid hitting balls into the wind.
That kind of comfort can help. Or it can add pressure you don’t need on the back nine Sunday.
Fleetwood has been close before. Really close. He finished second at the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, and he’s been in the mix at The Open twice. But closing the deal has been the problem. He gets to the final stretch and the door doesn’t quite swing open.
The field this year is deep. Rory McIlroy already won the Masters. Aaron Rai shocked everyone at the PGA Championship. Wyndham Clark held on for his second U.S. Open title. For a lot of big names, this is the last chance to avoid a majorless season. For Fleetwood, it’s the latest chance to answer the question that’s followed him his whole career.
He’s 35 now. He’s not old, but he’s not young either. The window is still open, but it’s not going to stay open forever.
Maybe the home crowd pushes him over the line this time. Maybe it doesn’t. But one thing is certain: he’s not going to stop chasing it. Whether that ends with a trophy or another close call, Fleetwood seems at peace with the uncertainty.
“Until my time is up, I’ll just keep trying.”
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