The Open: Rory McIlroy backs Tommy Fleetwood to handle pressure and expectations of hometown major at Royal Birkdale | golf news

Rory McIlroy has backed Tommy Fleetwood to avoid “falling into a trap” as he tries to handle the pressure of playing at The Open in his hometown.

Fleetwood will be a fan favorite this week in front of a record crowd at Royal Birkdale, where he grew up in Southport and where he famously played as a child.

The Englishman failed to compete when the tournament was last held there in 2017, struggling to make the cut after an opening-round 76 and finish 13 strokes behind champion Jordan Spieth, but is among those expected to challenge for the big win this time around.

After an opening-hole quadruple-bogey in 2019 – missing the cut at The Open at Royal Portash – McIlroy understands the expectations Fleetwood faces, although he believes his Ryder Cup teammate can handle the test ahead.

“I felt like I handled the second time (2025, tied-seventh) a little better than the first,” McIlroy said at his press conference. “It (playing in your hometown) is a tough environment.

“It’s a great environment but tough in a way that you just feel extra expectations on your shoulders and you feel like you’re trying to play well not for yourself but for everyone else.

“I think there’s already enough pressure on anyone on this field to play well for themselves, so it’s always pretty hard to add an extra layer on top of that.

“I think Tommy is much more level-headed than me and maybe he won’t fall into the trap like I did in 2019. It always feels like I have to go back and forth to get it right. It will be interesting to see.”

Fleetwood has appeared in the last four Ryder Cup teams, finished runner-up twice in majors and claimed a landmark PGA Tour victory at the Tour Championship last August, with the world No. 9 excited by the opportunity to challenge for a hometown victory.

“It’s an absolute dream to play here in my hometown in front of people who are here to support me – there are only positives,” Fleetwood said. “What you have to deal with is how much you want it and your own expectations.

“I’m no different than every single person who plays in The Open who dreams of winning the Open and wants to win it. There’s really no different than anyone else in that sense. I just think I’m lucky to have the home support and use that as really positive fuel.

“I go back to the original, being an eight-year-old kid, the thought of playing in an Open at Birkdale was incredibly special. If you can’t enjoy it, you’ve let yourself down in that sense.”

McIlroy ‘tending’ to push for another big win?

McIlroy has made just five worldwide starts since successfully defending his title at The Masters, finishing tied-seventh at the Genesis Scottish Open on Sunday despite admitting his game struggled during a final-round 64.

“I think it depends on what time of day you find me,” McIlroy said of his playing conditions. “It’s funny, the first two days in Scotland I felt really good and then it seemed like my game got worse as the week went on. Even though I shot a good score on Sunday, it didn’t feel too good.

“I’ve been doing pretty well the last few days, getting out the trackman, seeing what my numbers are, and trying to match my swing feel to what I’m seeing. Also, I played 30 holes on Sunday. I felt a little tired on Monday, so I didn’t get on the course.

“It gave me a little more time to hit some balls and dig into the swing a little bit. Felt good on the range. Felt good on the course. Definitely trending in the right direction.”

Whether McIlroy can challenge for new major success, says former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley Sky Sports: “I thought last week was really good for Rory. To finish in the top 10 (at the Scottish Open) – I know he had a bad third round – and put some nets out this week going forward.

“The proof of how he played this week will be in the pudding, there’s been a kind of scattershot approach to competitive golf in the majors. What we see in these really solid conditions, if you look back historically, is the cream rises to the top.”

When is the Open live on Sky Sports?

Wall-to-wall action kicks off with the final men’s major of the year on Thursday at 6.30am on Sky Sports Golf, the exclusive home of The Open in the UK and Ireland, Sky Sports Golf.

Sky Sports+ or The Sky Sports appwith extended coverage then beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. on Sunday.