As Tommy Fleetwood battles for The Open title at Royal Birkdale, his former coach Norman Marshall is pulling back the curtain on the golfer's incredible journey, remembering a kid who was “pretty spectacular” by the age of eight. Marshall, now 57, began coaching Fleetwood at Formby Hall when the keen young golf fanatic was just six years old.
That Pure Passion That Made All the Difference
Marshall, who now co-runs the Tommy Fleetwood Academy, remembers how Fleetwood's pure passion for golf separated him from the pack. He said once Fleetwood hit eight years old, he could hold his own against any junior field, which was "particularly unusual in that day and age." That deep love for the game, almost an obsession, was the differentiator. Fleetwood's practice habits proved it: in winter, while other kids might have slowed down, he was "at the golf range, all the time, any weather, playing golf with his dad, hitting balls." You just couldn't stop him. That kind of drive, from such a young age, is what makes a champion.Crushed at Seven, But That Only Made Him Stronger
Not everything came easy for Fleetwood, though. Marshall recalls his first ever tournament at age seven where he came in last. Fleetwood was "crushed," playing in an older field off tees designed for teenagers. But here's the kicker: he was "back the next week." That's the grit you love to see, the kind of resilience and determination that truly matters. Marshall also described Fleetwood's character as "relatively quiet, but he wasn't lacking in confidence," a "steady, calm and mature kid" who held your gaze. Even his former Drama teacher, Erica May, who taught a 14-year-old Fleetwood at Scarisbrick Hall School, said he was "brilliant and he was very, very talented," and could've easily had an acting career. He even earned an A-star in his drama GCSE, despite initially being reluctant to do homework. The kid just had talent everywhere!Winning The Open Would Be the Pinnacle, But He's Already Won
For Marshall, seeing Fleetwood secure The Open title at Royal Birkdale, especially for a Southport native at his home course, would be "the pinnacle of my career as a coach" and "put the full stop on it." He knows the immense pressure on Fleetwood right now. But Marshall's message to his former pupil? "He has already won at life, everything that's actually important, like character traits, you are a winner and that's what counts." Fleetwood is competing in the 154th Open Championship, carrying not just the hopes of his coach, but the weight of that childhood obsession and remarkable resilience. Can that six-year-old's pure passion finally lead him to the top? We're all watching to find out.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.