Tommy Fleetwood believes he has the right attitude for the “ultimate test of golf” as he heads into the weekend at the US Open in contention for the second year in a row.
The Englishman was never more than two shots off the lead on the first three days in 2017, eventually finishing fourth for his best result in a Major Championship as Brooks Koepka pulled away on Sunday afternoon.
Fast forward 12 months and Fleetwood is at it again, carding the joint-lowest round of the week with a 66 on Friday at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club to sit five shots behind 36-hole leader Dustin Johnson.
The Long Island layout is proving a devilishly difficult test of golf, with high winds adding to a difficult set-up, and Fleetwood believes he has both the game and the temperament to thrive in the face of adversity.
“I like to think I can control my ball well but I still feel like I'm getting a lot better at it,” said the reigning Race to Dubai champion. “I have a lot of patience and the tougher the conditions, the more I feel like I can grind it out and will my way around a little bit.
“You've still got to play well but all those go together in a good round if everything still applies. If you play bad, I still feel like I can keep it together and keep going. Whether I shoot ten over or 66 today I feel like, when the weather is bad, I kind of have that in me, the mental side.
“I do like the set-up of a US Open. It is the ultimate test of golf in more ways than one. It tests your long game, short game, every aspect. It tests you mentally, physically. If you're going to win a US Open, which is one of the biggest events in the world, it should be that kind of test.”
Fleetwood put his approach to six feet on the tenth but gave the shot straight back after finding sand before holing from five feet on the 13th to turn in 34.
A brilliant 40-footer on the second kick-started the back nine and after a three-putt on the fourth he played the par five fifth in textbook fashion, put his tee-shot to 13 feet on the seventh and holed a 25-foot putt on the ninth.
Whether I shoot ten over or 66 today I feel like, when the weather is bad, I kind of have that in me, the mental side - Tommy Fleetwood
That gave him a total nine shots better than Thursday's effort and he is now hoping last season's finish can stand him in good stead over days three and four.
“It wasn't loads different,” he said. “Today felt like I played really solid. At one point, it was the middle of the round, it was just keep going and try and survive whilst the rain is there and the wind picked up. Luckily enough, I caught a few birdies at the end and 66 was very, very good.
“I know I did well in it last year and I can compete. But at the end of the day, what happened a year ago has absolutely no effect on tomorrow or Sunday. I've still got to turn up and play well and I've got to concentrate hole by hole.
“But it has shown me that I can stand up and I can compete in the biggest tournaments in the world. I didn't win, but I felt pretty comfortable and I was a shot off second. It did show me that I can do it and hold my own at the weekend.”
