Justin Rose has revealed he was hoping for a later Thursday tee time so he can watch England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina in peace, while Matt Fitzpatrick’s own scheduling wish has already been granted.
According to a fresh update from Sky Sports at Royal Birkdale, Rose tees off at 9.36am on the opening day of The Open, well before Wednesday evening’s kick-off, and admitted: “I was kind of hoping for a later tee time. I’d take a win on penalties if it happened, but obviously we’re looking for a short, sharp match and a reasonable bedtime.” Fitzpatrick, by contrast, goes out in the afternoon wave at 3.15pm alongside Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele, leaving him free to watch the match before an evening on the range.
Fleetwood And Hatton Add Their Verdicts On England’s Run
Tommy Fleetwood, bidding to become the first English winner of The Open since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992 and doing so in his hometown of Southport, told Sky Sports that victory for England and for him personally on the same weekend “would be a great day,” adding: “The lads have been doing great. It’s been great to watch.” Tyrrell Hatton, a self-described Liverpool fan, told Sky Sports he feels “maybe secretly positive and nervous” about England’s chances but is focused on his own bid alongside Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau, who tee off together at 9.58am on Thursday.
Rose’s group, Fitzpatrick’s marquee draw and the rest of Thursday’s pairings were finalised earlier this week, as detailed in Wednesday’s Open Eve briefing from Royal Birkdale, with the Argentina angle adding another layer to a build-up already shaped by Mateo Pulcini’s own World Cup prediction. Attention now turns to whether either script can be written at Royal Birkdale this week.
