Tommy Fleetwood's major championship resume now runs 12 years and 44 starts deep, and every single one of them has ended without a major win. Now, ahead of the 2026 Open Championship, he was asked what happens if the major never comes?

An emotional Fleetwood said that while chasing a major is an ultimate dream, he doesn't want to think of his career as unfulfilled if it never happens.

"There's no doubt about it, I think winning majors is kind of like the ultimate accolades in our sport," Fleetwood told the reporter, per a clip posted by the Golf Channel.

What makes Fleetwood's major drought so difficult to reconcile is how often he's been the closest man to the trophy without ever touching it. He has finished inside the top five at a major seven times, including twice at The Open itself.

"It's a difficult one. I don't think I want to sort of look towards the future and worry about or think that I have to win a major to feel fulfilled. I think, like everyone else out here, we spend our lives giving it everything, and it might happen for me; it might not," he added in the same clip.

At the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, Fleetwood produced a great final round — a 7-under 63 — only to finish one shot behind champion Brooks Koepka. A year later, at the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, he was runner-up again as Shane Lowry won the title.

In between those two near-misses, Fleetwood also finished fourth at the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills. He later added a tie for fifth at the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. None of that has translated into a major title. Despite this, he won't be unhappy, even if he never wins a major.

"So, whatever happens in my career, I’ll be able to look back and say that I gave it everything. I had an amazing time doing it... Dreams do come true; we watch it all the time, but you'll never find out if yours will if you don't chase it. Mine might come true; it might not," Fleetwood added at the pre-tournament presser at Royal Birkdale.

Tommy Fleetwood Chasing his First Major Title at Royal Birkdale

As a native of Southport, the town where Royal Birkdale is located, Fleetwood is treating this week as a true home game. He grew up just minutes from the course and even snuck onto the links a few times as a boy with his father, Pete.

"I did it once or twice. It wasn't like every day," Fleetwood said, laughing off the idea that it was a regular occurrence.

Still, Fleetwood would like nothing more than to win his first major championship in this town.

"It's obviously very, very special," Fleetwood said of the possibility, per ESPN. "I think for anybody that was lucky enough to grow up in the town of Southport, it's such a golfing town. The Open at Birkdale holds such a special place in the area. Yeah, it's a dream just to be competing in an Open here, so I feel very, very lucky."

In 2017, Fleetwood opened with a rough 6-over 76, the last time The Open was held there. He rallied in the second round with a 69 to make the cut and ultimately finished tied for 27th, 13 shots behind winner Jordan Spieth. It was his first made cut in an Open Championship.

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Written by

Md Saife Fida

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar