Liverpool fans have found a new favorite at The Open Championship after he was asked about Steven Gerrard, whose name has been sung at him this week in Southport
09:20, 19 Jul 2026
Ryan Gerard of the United States tees off on the 11th hole during day three of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
Ryan Gerard of the United States tees off on the 11th hole during day three of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.(Image: Oisin Keniry/R&A via Getty Images)
Ryan Gerard, the US golfer, says he has picked up some new fans this week while playing at The Open Championship in Birkdale — with some of the locals singing the name of another famous star with his name.
Steven Gerrard, the Liverpool legend, shares a surname with the 26-year-old, who has enjoyed some extra support around the course as a result. "I think some of the kids think I am Steven Gerrard," Gerard joked.
"There's quite a few songs, and I think some of them I can't repeat. The lads were out in full force today and it's nice to know I'm probably the most hated person in Manchester and I'm glad we're in Liverpool.
"It's been a lot of fun and it's kind of funny. It's not even spelled the same, but I'll take any support I can get from across the pond.
"A bunch of little kids thing that I'm Steven Gerrard, so it's OK."
Gerard is not the only person to be compared with Gerrard this week. Playing for England, Jude Bellingham has also impressed — though he could not drag the Three Lions into the World Cup final.
PARIS, FRANCE - APRIL 8: Steven Gerrard, former Liverpool FC player, attends the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool FC at Parc des Princes on April 8, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)
"We have always known Bellingham is a world-class player," Reds legend Jamie Carragher said. "Many of us will acknowledge he is proving himself even better than we thought.
"Since he burst onto the scene, when comparing him to England players, the most obvious reference point has been Steven Gerrard.
"Gerrard had absolutely everything as a midfielder: passing, tackling, goalscoring and — most crucially — the ability to change and win games, seemingly single-handedly at times.
"If there is one quality my ex-captain lacked, it might be that when he went away with England he was not arrogant enough.
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"There were times I felt he should have walked into that dressing room and made it known he was 'the man,' so to speak. That was not his character.
"Bellingham has that arrogance. As soon as he put on that Real Madrid shirt, for example, he had the look of someone who was thinking, 'I belong here, I deserve this, and I can be the best player at this club.'
"Some see that attitude as a negative. For a footballer readying himself for his prime years, arriving at the biggest club in the world, it isn’t."