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Local lad Tommy Fleetwood topped the leaderboard on the first day of the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, riding a wave of support from the home crowd.
The 32-year-old from Southport, who was cheered on by a home crowd, shot six birdies and one bogey in an opening round of 66 to share the clubhouse lead with South African amateur Christo Lamprecht at five under par.
“It really was a great day,” Fleetwood said. “It’s always very nerve-wracking playing in front of your home crowd in such a big event, but I got off to a decent start.
“I was actually happy to have to get up and down on the first, holing a putt really settled me down and to get that going on the back nine was really, really cool. To get that support all day was amazing.
“If you’re not going to enjoy this atmosphere and these experiences then what’s the point? Make sure you have the time of your life out there.
“Being this close to home is the coolest thing and I’m so grateful to everyone that cheers me on.”
Lamprecht, a 6ft 8in 22-year-old who qualified by winning the Amateur Championship at nearby Hillside a month ago, set the early pace with a round of seven birdies and two bogeys.
With the help of playing alongside his mentor, Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 winner, Lamprecht shot the lowest round by an amateur in any major since England’s Tom Lewis shot 65 at Royal St George’s in 2011.
“I’d probably say the first tee shot was the only bit of nerves I had all day,” Lamprecht said.
“I just kind of walked off the first tee box after hitting my snap hook drive, and my caddie just told me, ‘listen, you’re playing The Open as an amateur, no need to stress’. We kind of had fun from there.
“It’s pretty surreal to be leading. [But] I think I earned my spot to be here. I think the way I played today I earned to be on the top of the leaderboard, as of now.
“It’s not a cocky thing to say. I just personally think I believe in myself, and I guess stepping on to the first tee box if you’re a professional or a competitor, you should be believing that you should be the best standing there.”
