The first round of The Open Championship brought plenty of storylines. Tommy Fleetwood, the local product who grew up 30 miles north of Royal Liverpool, is in a three-way tie atop the leaderboard after the opening round of The Open. Fleetwood noticed the crowd backing him and acknowledged them after his memorable round.

“I think you can’t ask for more from the fans and the support,” Fleetwood said, according to The Athletic. “They were so great to me today — from the first tee onwards and the way they were down the last hole, the reception I got.”

Fleetwood took a four-under back nine to the top of the leaderboard as he looks for his first major victory. Getting that win near his hometown would be a headline for the ages. The Open Championship seems to bring out stories like that. It all started with a feel-good first round for Fleetwood.

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“From the fifth or sixth hole onwards, I started hitting good golf shots and I had some chances,” Fleetwood said. “As first rounds go, that’s absolutely the one you wanted, and to get off to a good start feels good.”

Fleetwood performed well in The Open Championship last year, finishing in the top five for the second time in his career in the tournament. He made his debut in the tournament in 2014, the last time it was at the Royal Liverpool Gold Club. Tommy Fleetwood is a gritty player who knows how to navigate his way through a major. Seeing him stick around the top of the leaderboard of The Open Championship through the weekend would be a joy for golf fans.