US Open: Why home comforts could be just what Matt Fitzpatrick needs

The 27-year-old former Tapton School pupil, who is still a member of Hallamshire Golf Club, returns to the same course where he won the US Amateur Championship in 2013, this time in pursuit of his first major title.

Then 18, Matt was caddied by his younger brother Alex at the Brookline Country Club in Massachusetts with dad Russell and mum Sue also present.

The family had only booked their hotel stay until the quarter-final stage, in Russell’s anticipation that would be as far as his son would go in the competition.

When he progressed to the semi-final, they ended up staying with another family in Boston.

"We've become really good friends ever since so I'm going to go and stay with them (this week),” Fitzpatrick revealed to BBC Sport earlier ahead of the first round on Thursday.

"There'll be me and my parents and them and their kids as well, so it'll be just like old times.”

He added: "I've stayed at the house a few times since winning the US Amateur so it's a comfortable place to be and I think that's quite a nice little thing to know where you’re going.

"You've been there before, you know what the deal is and it's just much nicer than some unknown hotel when you're on your own.

The legendary Jack Nicklaus is the only golfer to have won the US Amateur and US Open on the same course.

But Fitzpatrick, who is due to tee off on Thursday evening UK time, is in the form of his life and registered his seventh top ten of the season at the Canadian Open last weekend.

A level-par final round at Southern Hills last month would also have seen him earn his major, only for him to post a three-over score.

"It was a great week in the end, regardless of the result," he said.

"To have that experience in the final group was the first time for me. I felt like I came away from the week disappointed not to have got it done."

It would be a fairytale if he went one step further this week.