Fleetwood relishes happy hunting ground

GUYANCOURT, France : Tommy Fleetwood received so much crowd support at the Olympic venue where he has twice won titles that his playing partners asked him if he was actually French, the 33-year-old Briton said on Friday.

Fleetwood sparkled in the second round of the men's competition at Le Golf National near Paris to claim the joint lead alongside American defending champion Xander Schauffele and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.

The crowd cheered on the 2017 French Open champion who was also a mainstay of the European team that won the 2018 Ryder Cup at the same course, securing four points in an inspired partnership with Italian Francesco Molinari.

"Those (supporters) have been amazing out there. Wyndham (Clark) and Hideki both asked, is this your home country?," he said after playing alongside the Japanese and American players.

Fleetwood, however, is taking nothing for granted as he chases a podium spot on Sunday.

"Nothing that's happened in the past is going to do it for me. But it's better having good feelings than having a course that's battered you to pieces," he said.

The medal format posed a different mental challenge for golfers used to considering a top-five or top-10 finish as successful week's work, according to Fleetwood.

"Two rounds in and still got a chance, so it's a nice feeling," he said.