The Open: Tommy Fleetwood fuelled by Padraig Harrington's major advice

Tommy Fleetwood is hoping that some advice from double Open champion Padraig Harrington can help him get his hands on the Claret Jug this week.

Tommy Fleetwood during a practice round ahead of the 149th Open at Royal St George’s in Kent. Picture: Chris Trotman/Getty Images.

While he didn’t appreciate it at the time, Fleetwood now realises three-time major winner Harrington was making complete sense after speaking to the Englishman as he finished runner-up to Shane Lowry in the 2019 Open at Royal Portrush.

“I think it's just experience,” said Fleetwood, who also finished second to Brooks Koepka in the 2018 US Open at Shinnecock Hills, of try to land a maiden major win.

“I've had a chance in a few and the first thing Harrington said to me when I walked off at Portrush was that you have to learn to lose them before you can win them.

“It didn't feel particularly that great at the time. But it makes complete sense. I was stood there on the first tee on Sunday, final group out, and I played that whole day in the final group.

“You can't buy that, you can't practice that and when you do get there again you're that little bit more comfortable. If you put yourself in those positions often enough, law of averages you should knock at least one off.”

Even if he doesn’t, it won’t be the end of the world for the Southport man.

“If I broke my leg tomorrow and never hit another golf shot, I'd look back at it and think I was playing on Sunday and that was my dream when I was a kid and I was really, really close,” he said of that chance two years ago.

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