Tommy Fleetwood says this year's The Open Championship will be "very special" as it takes place at his home course, Royal Birkdale.

Fleetwood has previously played the tournament at the Southport venue, finishing tied 27th in 2017.

No English-born golfer has won The Open since Nick Faldo in 1992, when he won his third Claret Jug.

Fleetwood won his first event on the PGA Tour at the Tour Championship last year, which secured him the 2025 FedEx Cup.

However, the 35-year-old is still yet to win a major ahead of The Open this year.

"It's obviously very, very special," Fleetwood said. "I think for anybody that was lucky enough to grow up in the town of Southport, it's such a golfing town.

Southport's own @TommyFleetwood1 taking some time to meet fans at Royal Birkdale.

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— The Open (@TheOpen) July 13, 2026

"The Open at Birkdale holds such a special place in the area. Yeah, it's a dream just to be competing in an Open here, so I feel very, very lucky.

"There's no doubt about it, I think winning majors is kind of like the ultimate accolades in our sport.

"It's a difficult one. I don't think I want to sort of look towards the future and worry about or think that I have to win a major to feel fulfilled.

"I think, like everyone else out here, we spend our lives giving it everything, and it might happen for me, it might not."

Fleetwood has been grouped alongside John Rahm and Jordan Spieth, who won The Open in 2017, for the opening round on Thursday.