England's Tommy Fleetwood in Position for Saturday Chase at British Open
HOYLAKE, England — The chase became something of a slow crawl, a painful journey in the wind and trickery of Royal Liverpool, Tommy Fleetwood straining to keep up with the tournament leader.
By the time Fleetwood teed off Friday afternoon at 2:48 p.m. local time, Brian Harman had long before posted his score of 65, talked to reporters, did television interviews ... and gone for a haircut, massage, tea—the latter if he so desired.
Harman, who posted 10-under-par 132 long before many in pursuit had rubbed the sleep out of their eyes, spoke of wanting to get rest to gear up for a weekend of British Open golf at Royal Liverpool.
Undoubtedly, he was able to get his wish as nobody, including Fleetwood, could get closer than four strokes.
Fleetwood, trying to become the first English player to win the Open in England since Tony Jacklin in 1969 and first at all since Nick Faldo in 1992, did his best to keep Harman honest, shooting 71 to end where he started and set up a final-round grouping that will see him five shots back.
Tommy Fleetwood (right) will play with Brian Harman in the final group Saturday.
AP
"It turned into a grind in the end," Fleetwood said. “I actually think for the most of the round I actually felt like I played really, really well. I just never got any momentum built and didn't hole any putts, and eventually I had the long one on 10. I felt like I played well for a lot of it, but just in the end it was hard. The bunkers are the ultimate hazards.
“But at the same time, the way that I started the round yesterday where I felt like I had to grind it out a little bit, today was the finish where I felt like I had to do that, and that's just as satisfying as playing great. You know you stuck in there and overall level par wasn't really a bad round today. It feels good."
Sepp Straka is third after a 67, six shots back, with three more players seven behind, including 2015 PGA champion Jason Day.
With a bad day of weather looming, that is quite the gap.
And yet, Cam Smith, the defending champion who made an eagle at the last hole to make the cut at 2 over par, said anyone under par still has a chance due to the nature of the course.
"I don't know if I'd want to be playing with a lead around here," Smith said. "It's one of those golf courses if you get on the back foot and you start playing defensive, it can eat you up pretty quick. You need to be aggressive and you need to make birdies. We'll see what happens.’’
Fleetwood, 32, was born in Southport, approximately 30 miles north of Royal Liverpool, and a local favorite who has had a few near-misses in major championships.
Although he’s never won on the PGA Tour—he recently lost in a playoff at the RBC Canadian Open—Fleetwood has six wins on the DP World Tour. He finished second to Shane Lowry at the Open at Royal Portrush in 2019 and was fourth last year at St. Andrews.
"I’ve imagined winning it about a million times probably," Fleetwood said. “Winning a major is a dream, winning the Open is a huge, huge dream. Having the opportunity to do it so close to where you grew up is something that’s very unique and very special."
Fleetwood fought to stay in the battle, parring his first five holes before a bogey at the 6th. He birdied the 10th with a 59-foot putt, bogeyed the 13th and then back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 got him within four of Harman. He gave the shot back with a bogey at the 16th but made a good par save at No. 17 and needed to get up and down for a par at the 18th to get in with a 71.
Like Harman, Fleetwood has been consistently good without winning on the PGA Tour. Harman leads the Tour with 29 top-10 finishes since the start of the 2017-18 season without a win; Fleetwood is next with 26.
"Brian had two amazing days," Fleetwood said. "I was watching his round this morning and he was playing great. He really has done so. He's a long way in front. Of course there's a long way to go, but still, for myself and everybody else playing, it's just do your thing, play one shot at a time.
“We don't know what the conditions are going to bring, and you just have to keep playing until it's over and see where you finish."