Overview
- Fleetwood finished his opening round at The Open at one‑under par following an aggressive round that included a bold play into the 5th green and a bunker escape that led to a birdie.
- The night before his first round he watched England lose the World Cup semi‑final and said he spent the evening consoling his son, though he told reporters he felt fine on the course.
- He dropped shots with bogeys on the 10th and 12th but rallied with birdies on the 15th and 17th to return to one‑under by the close of his round.
- Thousands of supporters from his native Southport followed him around Royal Birkdale and his strong local backing was credited with lifting his play through a mid‑round wobble.
- Fleetwood acknowledged he is "battling something" with his swing even as peers and high‑profile figures including Rory McIlroy have publicly backed him as a leading contender for his first major.