​There’s a massive mural covering one side of the Southport & Birkdale Sports Club, depicting Tommy Fleetwood in his Ryder Cup uniform striking a celebratory pose.Fleetwood would like to visit but has yet to get the chance to see the mural in person, given the busy schedule this week. The English star is back in his hometown of Southport to compete for his first major title as the Open Championship tees off Thursday at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”I think for anybody that was lucky enough to grow up in the town of Southport, it’s such a golfing town, and The Open at Birkdale holds such a special place in the area,” Fleetwood said.Tommy Fleetwood plays a shot from a bunker on the third hole during a practice round before the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in England.He’s not only trying to shake the label of one of the best active golfers without a major, he’s vying to become the first Englishman to win The Open since Nick Faldo in 1992. But Fleetwood shrugs off any concerns about pressure.”It’s an absolute dream to play here in my hometown in front of people that are all here to support me. There are only positives, really,” he said.”I think what you do have to deal with is how much you want it and your own expectations, but I think at the same time, I’m no different to any other person in terms of every single person that is playing in The Open dreams of winning in The Open and wants to win it.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe top 74 players in the world rankings are all on the scene as part of the 156-man field as the brisk men’s major season comes to a close. To recap the previous three months: Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, England’s Aaron Rai and Wyndham Clark captured the Masters, PGA Championship and U.S. Open, respectively. McIlroy will try to win two majors in the same season for the first time since 2014, the same year he lifted his only Claret Jug.How they’ll find Royal Birkdale is another story. Unseasonably hot weather in the United Kingdom has led to baked-out fairways and potentially a firm test of golf more akin to a U.S. Open.”I think it’s a double-edged sword,” McIlroy said. “I think all this dry weather and sun and a little bit of wind is obviously great for the course in one way, but when I was here a couple weeks ago, the rough was a lot more penal than it’s going to be this week. It’s definitely burnt out a lot.”World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion, having capped off a two-major year with a four-shot victory at Royal Portrush. Yet not only is Scheffler on the brink of going 0-for-4 at the majors this year, he also arrives in rare form — and not in a good way.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhen Scheffler missed the cut at the Scottish Open last week, it was his first time not playing the weekend since August 2022, ending a 78-event streak.He used the time off to his advantage.”I played 18 (holes at Birkdale) on Sunday,” Scheffler said.