	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

THE 147TH OPEN

July 21, 2018

Tommy Fleetwood

Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom

Q. So, Tommy, overriding feeling after today?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Well, first, I was kind of disappointed, but I think it's -- you know, easy to look at all the good scores that were out there. The wind did pick up in the end. I just had a bit of a rocky back nine, where at the end of the day, I had six-footers on 12, 13, and 14. I haven't missed one all week, so if they had gone in, like I had been doing, it's three shots back, and it's a much different day. If the putt goes in, I feel a lot better.

So I actually felt the most comfortable I've been with my swing all week. I felt more comfortable than yesterday. Just shows what can go into scoring in this silly game.

Q. How difficult is winning four shots back?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Well, we'll see. The wind is supposed to pick up, so that might be a helping hand. I have to draw on different stuff. I had low rounds in me, U.S. Open, I had a 63 the day before and yesterday was a really low one. I have to take my mind off I didn't really do much today and didn't make the most of a pretty decent ball-striking day. Most of the day the scores were quite low and try to focus on that.

Q. You've scored well in tough weather this week. Do you think that's more of an advantage for you if the wind does blow?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: We'll see. You still have to turn up and hit the shots. Just turn up and hit it like I did today for most of the round, and try and get something going really. I think that was what today really lacked. Today lacked momentum. And then when I did get it, like on 11, when I nailed a nice putt, or when I birdied 14 and 15, when I did come back, I constantly followed it with a bit of a mess. More of that is what I need.

Q. Frustrating because every time you take a step forward, you take a step back?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Just one of them days. Like I say, when you're hitting it well, you kind of feel like chances are going to come. 12 and 13 just -- I hit a bad tee shot on 12. I felt like I made a mess from the front of the green. Made bogey there. It's not really a bad score. It's the hardest hole on the course. 13, club -- half a club out, full club out, whatever it is, hit a great chip; putt lips out. That can easily go in.

14, that putt died. That can easily go in.

15, wiggles off. That can easily go in.

But I put some on -- had a great putt to start the day. 17 was just the best hole of the week that I've played. So there's good stuff. Just less of the cough-ups really, and we'll be all right.

Q. (Inaudible).
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It felt great.

Q. Was there any pressure?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: No, nothing. I've never been out this late or competed like this in an Open before. So it was new experiences for me but something that was absolutely brilliant. Having that home crowd that you get and the support, nothing beats that. There was a few fans, weren't there? Away fans come to watch.

Q. Cut across (inaudible).
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: No, I basically tried to rip it on the right edge of the 10th. Just strong-face pulled it. I mean, come on, it's funny how these are the courses when the bunkers are so small or there's a ditch that's a foot wide, and I could tell from 320 yards out where the ball was going to be. Just one of them things, one of them bad shots. But I drove it so good today, you can't look at that. It is a tough hole. If I'd have made bogey, it was fine. It was just that I made the mess closer to the green.

Q. How was it playing with Pat Perez today? He's a bit of a character, isn't he?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, but we get on well. We've played together before. We do get on well, and we're friends. It's funny, when you concentrate on your own things so much. It's a bit of a grind. Couldn't really get in too much of a conversation because it was too much hard work.

I like Pat. We get on great. He's great to play with.

Q. Just how difficult is it when there's so much going on around the course?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I'm all right at that really. I think it's -- the leaderboards are there, the cheers are there, and you just have to -- it is what it is. There's no point trying to ignore it or anything like that. I was very happy out there. I honestly loved it. You play in the penultimate group in the Saturday of an Open, and for a few holes I was leading, that is exactly what you are playing for. That's what you practise for. I really, really enjoyed it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297