Tommy Fleetwood is hoping he can make his dreams a reality as he targets his maiden Major Championship victory at The 151st Open.
The six-time DP World Tour winner is among the contingent of players hoping to become the first Englishman to win golf's oldest Major on home soil since Tony Jacklin at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1969.
A native of the north west, support will not be in short supply for the Englishman as Royal Liverpool hosts The Open for a thirteenth time.
In his eight appearances to date, Fleetwood, who made his Open debut at this week’s host venue in 2014, has registered three top-20 finishes with his best in that time coming at Royal Portrush in 2019 when he was runner-up to fellow Ryder Cup star Shane Lowry.
Asked what it would be like to be in contention down the stretch in the final round, Fleetwood said: “I've imagined it about a million times probably. Winning a major is a dream, or winning The Open is a huge, huge dream.
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“No matter where that is, that's always something I've visualized and always thought about. But then again, having the opportunity to do it so close to where you grew up is something that's very unique and very special.”
“For sure I've pictured it a lot and visualized it a lot; just haven't done it yet in person, so that's hopefully the next thing.”
This week marks the one-year anniversary of the death of his mother, Sue, and Fleetwood admits it will be “a special event” in which he is eager to give himself every chance of lifting the Claret Jug.
“It'll be different, it'll be a year on Friday,” he said. “We know that that's coming up. It would be nice to think she's watching over.
“It'll be a special event. I would love to play well, and I would love to sort of give myself a chance come Saturday and Sunday and have something to aim for in that sense.
“But everybody is doing really well, and that's all you can do.
“I have a great family and a lot of support, and my dad is out here today, and I think the best thing is seeing how well he's doing and obviously give him something to enjoy watching this week.”
Despite having grown up nearby, Fleetwood admits the test that lies ahead of him at Hoylake is completely different to what he faced when the course last played host nine years ago.
The most striking change is an eye-catching new par three, additional bunkering, new tees and challenging run-off areas.
“The course is great,” he said. “It's changed a lot since the last Open, I feel. It's good to see how different that's playing, and also that they've got a brand new hole on the golf course.
“I don't know the course that well. I haven't played it as many times as I would like, but I do know it better than most.
"Obviously, I've played here as a junior and stuff, and then I haven't played it at all since the last Open.”
Fleetwood will begin his campaign alongside World Number One Scottie Scheffler and Australia’s Adam Scott in a heavyweight grouping at 9:47am on Thursday.
