Fleetwood hoping to surf Sunday wave to Open glory

SOUTHPORT, England, July 18 : Tommy Fleetwood will hope to surf a wave of home support on Sunday to win the British Open and end the wait for an English winner of the world's oldest major that stretches back to 1992.

The 35-year-old, born down the road from Royal Birkdale in Southport, enjoyed the loudest cheers on Saturday during a round of 69 that left him tied ninth, six shots off leader Sam Burns.

He will need some magic on Sunday to get his hands on the Claret Jug and win his first major, but if he can feed off the energy of the packed galleries, 'Tommy Lad' has a chance.

"Like walking up to every green, it's like the most amazing ovation that you can imagine," Ryder Cup stalwart Fleetwood, who finished second at the 2019 Open having also been runner-up at the U.S. Open the previous year, told reporters.

"I sort of acknowledge them in my way because I still want to stay in my bubble, but it just happens that there's like thousands of people in my bubble with me that are willing me on.

"Like there's a lot of people I know out there. But I just try and be myself and I try and focus as much as I can on my game and have everybody on the journey with me."

The ever-popular Fleetwood, who has an Academy at nearby Formby Hall Golf Club, used to sneak on to Royal Birkdale as a child and on Saturday displayed the links course-craft that endears him to the legions of fans who clambered over the sandy dunes to roar him on.

He responded with a birdie at the fifth and then rolled in a long birdie putt at the seventh to huge cheers. When he reached seven under after a stunning second shot to the 11th he was only one shot off a share of the lead.

A dropped shot at the 15th stopped his charge and he dropped another at the 18th, although