Tommy Fleetwood has chance to replicate his 2018 Shinnecock magic as easy US Open golfer to root for

Article excerpt

Tommy Fleetwood returns to Shinnecock Hills for the 2026 U.S. Open eight years after a career-defining moment, not a victory, but a finish so compelling it etched itself into his memory. The English golfer nearly won that brutal 2018 championship, where the course devoured most of the field. Now he has another chance at the same venue, and his calm demeanor and graceful play make him a sympathetic figure in a sport that often rewards the flashy and the loud. Fleetwood's quiet excellence and near-miss history at Shinnecock give golf fans an easy protagonist to follow.