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THE 148TH OPEN

July 20, 2019

Tommy Fleetwood

Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

STUART MOFFAT: Delighted to welcome Tommy Fleetwood to the Media Centre. Tommy is currently in second place at 12-under par.

That was an excellent 66 today. How would you assess today?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: First of all, it was a very special occasion and a great day to be playing golf today. Happy to be in the mix. Happy to be a part of it, happy to play my part in the atmosphere today.

Personally I did a lot of things well. Aside from hitting golf shots, everything that I set out to do before today started I felt like I was really good at. I played great. Felt really comfortable in my swing, was able to hit the golf shots I wanted to. And yeah, just a really, really strong day.

Q. Just hearing that atmosphere out there, just wondering, is there any time in your career where you've had that for or against you? Do you know what you have to prepare for tomorrow when you're playing with Shane?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Ryder Cup is pretty much that with a few more people. Look, it was great today. And I think I've just been saying on the way down here, I think people watching today, if they're not into golf, I think it's amazing for the sport. I think the tournament has done itself proud today. They've shown how great the game is and how good it is to watch.

The atmosphere for us as golfer was just great. I loved it. For or against you, you can't help but appreciate and love what today was and what tomorrow is going to be.

Tomorrow is not going to be any quieter. And for sure tomorrow playing with Shane, last day, that going to have its -- it's going to be more challenging to control yourself in the atmosphere and being in the middle of that. But that's what we're here for.

Q. At the Ryder Cup you did have the majority of the crowd for you. This time it's not going to be like that.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Why not?

Q. Because he's a home -- what can you do to combat that?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Nothing. I know what it's going to be like. I've had my fair share of support for the first three days. Hopefully there will still be some people out there rooting for me. And it's going to be, for me, especially being in that group, it's going to be harder than the rest of the field, for sure.

But you play your game. You do your thing. I'm very, very happy to have that challenge. If you had said at the start of today, at the start of the week, at the start of the year, you're going into the last round, whether I'm four back, five back, it doesn't matter, I'm in the last group Sunday at The Open and playing with Shane, and the majority of the crowd might not be with you, I would have said, Yeah, that's fine.

I'm looking forward to it, to be honest with you. It's going to be another chapter in my career, no matter what happens. And it's going to be a very special day.

Q. What's the thing about his game?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: About Shane's?

Q. Yes. The one thing that really strikes you about his game. What does he do so beautifully?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: He has an amazing short game. And I've always loved his golf swing, there's two things. I don't want to cut it down to one for him. But I appreciate the flow he has throughout his game, really.

And I think this year -- I remember playing with him in Canada and he was maybe 80th in the world and he hadn't had the year he wanted to in America, and I think how well he's done this year, and how well he's played, he's come back really, really strong. I'm very happy for him.

Q. Can you actually believe given how well you played that you are actually four shots behind?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I know. I think the last three or four holes there it was strange, really, because I'd gone bogey-free today, played really well, and there was just a couple of -- I had my chances on 11, 14 hit a great shot, missed the putt 17. And it was almost like, you know, you can easily get frustrated because Shane is doing so well and how well he's playing.

But it's hard to -- you have to look at it realistically. I had a great day today. I had one of the best rounds of the day and I was bogey-free. Shane just played great and I'm four back. But that's it, I'm just happy with how I played.

Q. I don't know if you know tomorrow's forecast, but it's not very good. Does that play for you or against you and the other contenders who are chasing?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It's the best golfers in the world. I feel like the guys that are up there on the leaderboard, from what I've seen, are not going to be too fussed about the conditions. It's not like it's an advantage or disadvantage to anyone.

I personally don't mind the conditions, whatever they are. I feel like I've had some of my best rounds in terrible, terrible conditions, where I've enjoyed grinding it out. So we'll see.

Shane is definitely -- he's not played in sunshine and no wind all his life. So it's not going to be a problem for him, either.

But, yeah, it's just another added script to The Open, really, the weather, which is always part of it.

Q. The lowest score in relation to par in an Open Championship is Tiger, 19 under. Is that in danger of going tomorrow?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Looks like it. Maybe the weather will play a part in that and stop it.

Put it this way, it will be a very, very good effort if it's me, and if it's not me or Shane, it will be a very, very good effort for somebody else. For sure, we'll see how it goes.

Looking at the numbers, you know, like a dangerous game and it's not something I'll be doing. It will be one step at a time, like the usual stuff. And if the weather is really rough, you rule that out and get out of it what you can.

STUART MOFFAT: Thanks, Tommy.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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