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Royal Birkdale had a clear favorite in Tommy Fleetwood at The Open. Despite the heartbreak, the Englishman made sure to give the winner, Ryan Fox, his flowers.
It was a commendable performance from Fleetwood, who remained in the hunt throughout but failed to cross the line. Fox put in a dominant performance to secure his maiden major title, and Fleetwood congratulated him.
“First of all congratulations to Ryan Fox. An incredible way to finish and so happy for you, Anneke and the family and team,” wrote Fleetwood on X.
Fox matched the championship record score of 62 on Moving Day and put himself in serious contention. In the final round, the New Zealander handled the pressure commendably on the closing stretch and crossed the line.
Fleetwood’s dream was crushed, but the Englishman expressed his love for his hometown and the support he received from the Southport crowd.
“This week has given me and my family moments and memories that will last forever. I am forever grateful for the support everyone has given me and the love that you all showed and I’m so proud of my hometown for @theopen that you delivered!” wrote Fleetwood on his X post. “What an honour and a privilege to have played in that atmosphere in front of you all, thank you! I hope we get to do it again!”
Fleetwood finished at 7-under, three strokes off Fox, alongside World No.1 Scottie Scheffler at T4. His dream of winning the Open will have to wait a bit longer.
Tommy Fleetwood on his dream of winning the Open
Fleetwood had the backing of Royal Birkdale as he attempted to chase down the Open title. However, he fell short but left with no regrets.
“That was heavy stuff. As a kid when you’re dreaming of having a putt to win The Open or playing The Open or winning The Open, that’s one thing, but I could never imagine that scene on 18, getting the ovation and the support that I have this week,” said Fleetwood, as per GolfMagic. “That’s incredibly special. I do know how incredibly lucky I am to have experienced that.”
The final leaderboard at The Open left little room for error. Ryan Fox walked away with the Claret Jug at 10-under, edging out Cameron Young at 9-under.
Sam Burns finished third at 8-under. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood shared fourth at 7-under, falling just short of the title.
It was Fleetwood’s fourth top-10 finish at the season-ending major. He came agonizingly close in 2019 when he secured a runner-up finish at Royal Portrush.
The Royal Birkdale crowd backed him till the end even when he fell short. They gave him a long, memorable ovation as he walked off the 18th green on Sunday.
What are your thoughts on Fleetwood’s performance at the Open? Share them in the comments.
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