Tommy Fleetwood wants seize his opportunity at Royal Portrush

Tommy Fleetwood says he is determined to make the most of his chance to land a first major of his career at The Open.
Tommy FleetwoodTommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood

The Englishman was one shot off the clubhouse leader JB Holmes when he finished his second round on seven-under on Friday.

Fleetwood wants that title, but quickly pointed out how important it is to embrace the moment.

"When these chances come around you want to take them and you want to be known," he said.

"It's your chance of putting your name in the history of the game. For sure all of us dream of having majors in our career and taking those opportunities.

"I think the other side of that is like you say you don't know how many times you're going to actually get the chance to compete at the back end of a draw on Saturday or Sunday in a major, and it's important to embrace it and enjoy it whatever happens.

"You don't know what's going to happen next week or the week after. And you have to realise what a lucky position you're in and how well you've done to get there.

"For sure, I'm not going to tee off tomorrow and say I'm going to love this whatever happens.I want to make it happen. I want to win a major.

"With 36 holes down of 72, like the first two days it's a long time. It's just equally long, if not longer the last two days.

"So you just have to stay in the moment and go from there.

"You've got so many cliches now from here. You've put yourself in contention with half of the event to go.

"I'm not going to bore you with psychology, because we all know it.

"It really is important not to look at how much I want to win The Open, how much I can picture myself with the Claret Jug.

"It's about having lunch together, spending time with my family, getting up tomorrow, warming up, the first tee shot and that's as far as we can go for now."

The 28-year-old found himself in a similar position at Carnoustie 12 months ago before finishing five behind eventual champion Francesco Molinari.

But Fleetwood is relishing being in contention again.

"I think all you can do is you can put yourself up there and gain experience that way and know how things pan out on a Saturday and Sunday at a major," he said.

"I think last year I teed off on the last day at five-under and birdied the first, I was six-under with 17 to play.

"Actually the front, birdied the last to get to 8. I wasn't miles away with not very long in the tournament to go.

"I've had a couple of good major finishes, as well. Like I say, all you can do is put yourself up there and gain the experience that way. You can't do it any other way.

"And for me teeing off tomorrow or wherever I am on Sunday, at least I've got that behind me.

"I've got that in my mind that I know sort of how things pan out and just to keep going, play your game.

"This course can make you very uncomfortable, you've got to make yourself commit to certain shots, because it's hard visually to see certain shots.

"I'm just looking for another weekend of a major, our biggest major, being out there in contention."