THE 150TH OPEN

July 14, 2022

Tommy Fleetwood

Mixed Zone

Q. Tommy, how important was that birdie did you think at the end?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: It helped. Obviously played really, really well, really up until 13 and I hadn't gotten anything out of the round. I was 1-under. Then start finding start bunkers making a hash of it really which was frustrating. Level always feels a lot better than 1-over but there's going to be a lot of work to do over the next few days.

But it definitely, anything that you get out of the last hole makes a difference to the day.

Q. You mentioned you played well early on how frustrating is it when it doesn't quite come off and you know it's there?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I just thought it's difficult to get close, (indiscernible), but I kept executing shots just fine. And really 8, 9, 10 -- 8, 9, 10, 13, 14 really were -- it could have been so much different.

13, just really a poor tee shot. Just no reason to find a bunker there but still get out of there with bogey (indiscernible) par-5 and put myself into a bunker again where I had no stance. And I had missed chances, really, on 9 and 10.

So that's kind of where that middle stretch was around the most frustrating. But overall it's not that bad. It's first round and there's still three more to go. So I'll have a rest now and just look at what I can do tomorrow and try to get off to a hot start tomorrow and try and move up.

Q. I know it's hard to predict things, but what do you think you might have to shoot to get back up there?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I don't know. I'll just take it one step at a time and just try and shoot the best possible round I can. I think today was actually -- I know there's good scores out there.

We still have to be pretty patient a lot of time. Tricky to get near pins. I'm sure for the rest of the week it's going to be the same. When you know there's a score out there you know you can do it. So just go out there and hope to get on the right side of scoring.

Q. In terms of the Open experience, you've obviously played in quite a few. You've contended. What does this one feel like being the 150th and particularly with extra crowds that seem to be out there?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Once you get going, it's just not another tournament. It's another Open, which are always the most special weeks of the year especially for those that are European or British.

Once you get going, it's just the same, focus on each shot as it comes. But it's been an amazing atmosphere. It's an amazing event. This is the home of golf. So it's been a very, very special week so far. But once you start playing, that all goes and you just try to get on with it.

Q. I know you played Alfred Dunhill Links, feels like 20 times, (indiscernible) of a lot of Scottish courses. Have you played Muirfield?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I played Muirfield a little bit.

Q. It's historic. This championship (indiscernible) for the women playing there, what do you make of that opportunity?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yes.

Q. What you do you make of that, for their opportunity?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I think the whole run of golf in Scotland now, we had last week, this week, the Seniors Open, the Women's Open. So it's a very, very, you know, a great time in golf in Scotland to showcase a lot of amazing golf courses that they have.

And you go with the times, don't you? And I think I'll look forward to watching the women's open at Muirfield. I really will. It's a great golf course and it's a championship level golf course, and I'm sure I'll enjoy watching it.

Q. Which players do you expect to play well with a course like that, the challenges of it?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Well, I mean, if I went with my heart, it would be Georgia because she's always up there in an Open and she's doing great. I know her quite well. Anna won it last year, right? So she's the defending champion.

There's a lot of great golfers, and then you look at the major champions this year. It could be -- I think the strength in the women's game at the moment is -- it's similar to ours, really, like once you turn up, there's a long of list of players that can do well and can go and win.

It's what makes the game great at the moment.

Q. What would be your advice to the ladies about playing Muirfield for that challenge?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I don't think they need advice from me. They'll be just fine. But you go there and you do your preparation. And like a lot of links courses, you keep it in play, try your best to keep it down the fairways. Don't press too hard and try and let the score come to you. But I'm sure they don't need my advice. They'll be fine.

Q. Speaking of preparation, you feel pretty good about how you prepared for The Old Course this time around?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I've prepared well. And that's when, sometimes, when you've prepared well and you feel good on a golf course, sometimes it's frustrating when you don't get what you want out of it. Today was one round.

Hopefully I've got three more to go and I can build on the finish that I had today, really. It was a good par on 7 and 8, and I like a good par on the last. So use that, have a rest now and go and build on that for the rest of the week.

Q. Tell us about your round.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Started off very solid. Felt like I was playing really well. Hitting a lot of good golf shots. Just didn't particularly score very well, really, and definitely in the middle of the round, I think 8 through 14, just between missed putts and hitting a couple of shots that just put me in terrible spots.

Just stay out of the bunkers. You can hit a bad shot. Of course you can and go in, that's what they're there for. But it's frustrating when you do.

That's sort of where my round halted. I felt there was three, four shots out there for me that I could have easily gained.

But overall it's not like -- it's not a terrible start. It's not the start you would want. I want it to be faster. But the finish helps, and I'll feed off that and go into tomorrow and hopefully build on that.