Through 36 holes at the 2018 Open Championship, it has largely been a tale of two tournaments. Even if you haven’t seen a shot hit yet, a simple look at the scores from the first two days would indicate it.
Thursday saw a baked out Carnoustie that looked like something reminiscent of the sand dune scene in Space Balls. Balls seemed to run for miles through the fairway in sunny conditions with little wind. Friday though was a different story, a storm passed through making the day 2 conditions more reminiscent of a proper Open. It was cold, it was rainy, it was cloudy. It was even a little windier.
As we head into the weekend, Zach Johnson and Kevin Kisner sit in a tie at the top at 6-under. In total, there 17 players at or within four shots of the lead. One name of that 27 stand out more than the others though, and it’s neither of the two guys at the top.
No, the name that stands out most on that list is a guy that is one shot back. That guy is Tommy Fleetwood.
Fleetwood fired a 6-under 65 on Friday. It was the low round of the tournament so far, but more importantly, it was how he went about shooting it that stood out.
His Friday 65 was bogey-free, also the only one of the tournament so far. On a course where most players were at the mercy of a bounce here or a roll there, Fleetwood seemed to be in complete control of his ball and swing. He was playing in a major but it felt like he was just out for an afternoon 18 with the boys.
While you might be thinking, “so what, it was just one round on a Friday do it over the weekend when it counts” well, he has.
Let’s not forget just a few weeks ago, Fleetwood fired a final round 63 at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills to finish runner-up to Brooks Koepka. That’s a 63 at Shinnecock, one of the hardest courses in the world. On a Sunday. At a major. Running down the likes of Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, and Koepka, all world beaters in their own right.
Fleetwood now has a 63 at Shinnecock and a 65 at Carnoustie to his name. That’s 2 big boy golf courses right there.
— Dan Hauser (@DanHauserGolf) July 20, 2018
I’ve done the Friday story before crowning someone the champ after 36-holes only to see it blow up in my face (thanks DJ), so I’m not saying that it’s over and Fleetwood wins the Claret Jug. What I am saying though, is despite being one shot off the lead, after his Friday performance it feels like Fleetwood is currently in the driver’s seat.
What happens over the final 36 holes is anyone’s guess. If come Sunday though Tommy Fleetwood is being crowned Champion Golfer of the Year, it should come as a surprise to nobody.
