The sides of shuttle buses ferrying Open fans to Royal Birkdale display an AI-generated image of Tommy Fleetwood holding the Claret Jug. It represents a vision the 35-year-old Englishman has held since sneaking over the fence at the iconic course as a Southport kid. The reality: he has never won the trophy. His hopes were dented Saturday by late bogeys in a third-round 69, leaving him five shots behind leader Sam Burns.

Burns carded a five-under 65 and holds a two-shot advantage over New Zealand's Ryan Fox and South Korea's Kim Si-woo heading into Sunday. Bryson De Chambeau, a two-time US Open champion, remains in contention after a one-under 69, four back despite a two-shot penalty Friday. The tight leaderboard makes it an open Open.

Fleetwood's challenge may have faltered, but his dreaming hasn't. "I've done it most days since I was seven... You daydream and you dream about the biggest things possible. Then you try and make it a reality."