​“It’s coming home” was one cry from the crowd as Tommy Fleetwood made the walk off the 13th green towards the 14th tee.“Not today, mate” interjected another punter at Royal Birkdale. He wasn’t in the mood for reminding of the night before, or using the line from the Three Lions tune in golf so soon after the pain of the previous evening.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThere was a man on a megaphone on Wednesday trying to spark England chants as punters on the practice day departed the course just a couple of hours before their World Cup semi-final against Argentina.But as ticket holders flooded through the gates on Thursday morning, it was about seeing if golf could help mend the wounds still very open and raw.(PA)English football’s wait for a major trophy will go on beyond 60 years but their golf counterparts are also in the midst of an interminable time.Not since Nick Faldo lifted the Claret Jug in 1992 has English hands touched golf’s most famous trophy.You have to go back to 1969 for a home-grown winner on English soil when Tony Jacklin claimed glory just up the coast from here at Royal Lytham & St Annes.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThere were 21 Englishmen in the field this week looking to end the woe.Dan Brown is the unlikely leading home-grown player after an impressive four under 66 from the chain-smoking Northallerton native.He is closely followed by Jordan Smith, who carded a fine 68. Matt Wallace, Tyrell Hatton, Alex Fitzpatrick, Matthew Southgate and Laurie Canter are just a shot further back on one under meaning many are well placed heading into Friday.They are joined by the man who is no doubt the fan favourite in these parts, though.Fleetwood is the Southport local who would sneak out onto this famous links on evening dog walks with his father and hit a few balls unbeknown to the members at the prestigious club.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt was four miles down the road at Southport Golf Links where he first started swinging golf clubs at the age of six, then he was a member at the nearby Formby Hall and Royal Birkdale’s neighbouring course Hillside.Crowds packed to watch Fleetwood by his was one over by the 12th (Reuters)So it was clear who the locals would be supporting and who would be shouldering the pressure to dry English tears after their World Cup semi-final defeat by their rivals from South America.Fleetwood teed it up alongside Jon Rahm. It could have been a warm-up for Sunday’s football final, an early chance for English blood to strike a blow against the Spaniards.It was not to be.There were some remnants of the mood from the night before earlier in the morning when Argentina’s Mateo Pulcini’s name was met with muted boos when announced.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPerhaps some playful jibes rather than any serious bitterness given he got cheered when he holed a 30-footer on the 18th and mimicked Enzo Fernandez’s celebration from the night before.Argentin