SOUTHPORT, England (AP) — What a dream scenario for British sports fans Sunday.
The British player won the British Open at Royal Birkdale and became the “Champion Golfer of the Year”.
And a few hours later, the English soccer team won. world cup.
“It would be mega,” said Matt Wallace, one of 21 British golfers taking part in the final major of 2026, to be held from Thursday on England’s north-west coast.
So does this fun sport have double potential? of course.
probability? That’s going to push it forward.
Perhaps the most well-known fact in all sports in these regions is that England, the kings of soccer, have not won the World Cup since 1966. This year, the focus is on the men’s team. Semi-final Then on Wednesday, they will face Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team.
A little known fact is that no Briton has won the British Open Championship since Tony Jacklin in 1969.
Soccer fans call this 60 years of suffering, and the wait has become unbearable for golfers as well. In fact, Nick Faldo is the only Briton since Jaclyn to have won the British Open – three times (1987, 1990 and 1992), all in Scotland.
Fleetwood is a local lad and fan favorite
tommy fleetwood This may be the best bet for England this year and we wonder how the locals will celebrate the win.
As a child, Fleetwood lived around the corner from Royal Birkdale and would sneak in to accompany his father, Peter, on his evening dog walks.
He is the Championship’s marquee player, but this week he finds himself sharing the spotlight with some of the country’s more globally recognized footballers.
“For them, they definitely carry a lot more country on their backs than we do,” said Fleetwood, who is ranked ninth. “They’re doing a great job.”
And yes, soccer will invade golf.
On Monday, Matt Fitzpatrick, the highest-ranked British golfer in third place, begged to have his tee time for Thursday’s first round delayed. The match between England and Argentina will kick off at 8pm local time on Wednesday night, and will not end until closer to 11pm if the game goes to extra time and penalties.
“If anyone’s listening… I wish all the England players were late or early,” Fitzpatrick said of tea times on Thursday and Friday. “That’s wonderful.”
They weren’t so lucky. The first eight groups to advance to Thursday’s first round will each include a British player.
Matthew Baldwin was born just a stone’s throw away in Southport and is a Royal Birkdale member who qualified for his alma mater’s major tournament. He will have the honor of taking the first shot of the championship at 6:35 a.m. Thursday.
That might mean he has to wake up at 4 a.m. Is he going to watch football?
English football fans dot the area around Royal Birkdale
The impact of the World Cup is certainly noticeable around Royal Birkdale, a short drive from the footballing home of Liverpool. Watching the players on the practice putting green on Sunday was a young girl wearing an England jersey with “Bellingham” and “10” written on the back (after England star Jude Bellingham) and a tattoo of the England flag on each cheek.
R&A chief executive Mark Darbon said the final round of the British Open could be brought forward to avoid a conflict with the World Cup final, which starts at 8pm local time. The final round might not end until around 6:30 p.m., but that’s if there’s no need for a playoff.
Just imagine. If Fleetwood were to collect his claret jug and take a walk late on the 18th before watching England in the football final.
“It’s outrageous,” said Roger Shutt, a 70-year-old Briton who was one of the thousands of fans who attended Monday’s practice round. “If they overlap, it will be a holiday for everyone.”
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
