Football <\/p>\n
Jon Rahm has played alongside plenty of raucous galleries in his career, but nothing quite like the wall of noise following Tommy Fleetwood at Royal Birkdale this week. And after three days of it, the Spaniard has arrived at an amusing conclusion about England\u2019s football fortunes.<\/p>\n
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Rahm and Fleetwood teed off together in Saturday\u2019s third round at 9.35 a.m. The pairing became one of the more notable ones on the course as it put Europe\u2019s two most reliable Ryder Cuppers in the same group. Speaking to the media afterwards, Rahm could not resist connecting the defending home support to FIFA and how the crowd made him feel.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best way I can explain it is it was so intense that, without meaning any disrespect to England, I\u2019m glad England didn\u2019t win the game because I would be having a heck of three days with the fans if they played Spain in the final.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can hear it constantly, no matter where he goes. It\u2019s constant, unconditional support. The best part is they cheer him on, but they\u2019re respectful to everybody else playing. That\u2019s what makes it so fun for all of us. No matter how late in the round, how bad things get, everybody is almost cheering for everybody in the group. I\u2019ve felt plenty of support even playing with Tommy, and it\u2019s been a lot of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
The match Rahm references is England\u2019s 2-1 World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina in Atlanta. England led through Anthony Gordon\u2019s 55th-minute finish, but Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez\u2019s 85th-minute equalizer, assisted by Lionel Messi, and Lautaro Mart\u00ednez\u2019s stoppage-time winner ended their first World Cup final shot since 1966.<\/p>\n
That result set up Argentina against Spain in the World Cup final in New Jersey. Had England beaten Argentina, Rahm would have been playing his Open Championship round alongside Fleetwood in the same week in his own country, facing a fan base like England\u2019s. Rightfully, he would not hear the end of it.<\/p>\n
That said, Fleetwood is no stranger to carrying local expectations. The Southport-born golfer used to sneak over to the fence at Royal Birkdale as a child, and undoubtedly, it\u2019s his favorite place to be. Also, the English fans love their local. Across the week, organizers expect roughly 300,000 attendees, many of whom will follow his group.<\/p>\n
Rahm has not paired with him much previously, but has witnessed the overwhelming support from a distance at the Ryder Cup. Fleetwood pairs with Rory McIlroy, while Rahm is usually paired with Tyrrell Hatton. Both Fleetwood and McIlroy have been Europe\u2019s most dependable players in recent Cups.<\/p>\n
Even Fleetwood has spoken about the love from fans as he prepares for Round 1.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very rare to have an opportunity to play a tournament, let alone The Open, in the town where you grew up in front of fans who are all there to support you.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the crowd is high with Fleetwood\u2019s fever, in Rahm\u2019s own words, the spectators cheer on all the players, too. For instance, neither of the duo entered Saturday\u2019s rounds with much daylight; they were at 4 under. But the home crowd behind them for 18 holes clearly cheered them up. The Spaniard opened his round with an out-of-bounds tee shot and a double bogey, but soon steadied himself to stay within range of the leaders.<\/p>\n
Fleetwood pushed as high as seven under before a late bogey on 18 dropped him to a share of ninth at five under, four shots back. That said, he\u2019s still very much alive heading into Sunday as he eyes his first major win.<\/p>\n
Moreover, Rahm knows a thing or two about carrying a nation\u2019s hope on home soil himself. He\u2019s also been vocal recently about wanting more of his home tournament, telling reporters last week that he\u2019d support golf majors eventually traveling to new markets and pushing for the Spanish Open to be elevated under the PGA Tour\u2019s incoming restructuring.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t imagine what it\u2019s like to play what\u2019s most likely his favorite event of the year at home because I get a pinch of what it feels like to play when I play in Spanish Open. And if it is a major in Spain, I can only imagine what it feels like.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rahm will tee off at 12:55 p.m. BST, while Fleetwood will tee off at 1:40 p.m. BST.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n