Tommy Fleetwood ignited hopes of a historic English victory at The Open, delivering a magnificent five-under-par 66 on the opening day at Royal Liverpool. He shares the top spot with South African amateur Christo Lamprecht and Argentina's Emiliano Grillo.
Sitting one stroke behind the leaders are France's Antoine Rozner, Spain's Adrian Otaegui, and American Brian Harman.
World number two Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland had a battling round, recording three birdies and three bogeys to finish with a score of 71.
The last time an Englishman won The Open was Nick Faldo in 1992 at Muirfield, while the last victory on English soil was achieved by Tony Jacklin in 1969 at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Fleetwood's three consecutive birdies starting from the 14th hole ignited cheers from the success-starved fans who eagerly watched his performance, including a solid four-foot par putt on the final hole.
Hailing from Southport, just 30 miles up the Merseyside coast, the 32-year-old Fleetwood has been a contender in previous years, finishing second in 2019 and joint fourth last year. His quest for a maiden major title continues with strong support from the local crowd.
Speaking about the special opportunity to play close to home, Fleetwood expressed gratitude for the enthusiastic support from the fans. The Merseyside native's back-nine performance, a remarkable 32 shots, attracted a significant following on the Wirral coast.
Meanwhile, world number one Scottie Scheffler and Australian Adam Scott, both part of Fleetwood's group, carded scores of one-under 70 and one-over, respectively. As Fleetwood concluded his round with a brilliant putt, McIlroy was seen hugging his young daughter before heading to the first tee alongside Jon Rahm and Justin Rose.
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