For much of the first day of the 152nd British Open, it seemed impossible to make sense of what had happened. The scale of the fireworks on the final day of the 2016 British Open at Royal Troon was enough to leave every spectator reaching for their hands and holding their breath for the ultimate word: Henrik Stenson vs. Phil Mickelson was a roaring riot in the golfing jungle.
Back in bleak Ayrshire, the wind was light with occasional gusts of wind that created havoc. After the first round, the leader in the clubhouse is undoubtedly the venue itself. It’s up to others to assess the entertainment value that comes with it. Troon was terrified.
Tiger Woods’ latest humiliation was no surprise, but others raised eyebrows. Rory McIlroy, 78. Bryson DeChambeau, 76. Tommy Fleetwood, 76. Ludvig Auberg, 75. Cameron Smith finished with a 43 for the first nine holes for a 80. Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Patrick Cantlay and Hideki Matsuyama all failed to break par. Daniel Brown, ranked 272nd in the world, was making his major debut and rocketed to the top of the leaderboard as the sun went down. It was a strange day.
“It’s hard to miss with the bright yellow scoreboard. [where you are]”But I’m happy with how I played,” Brown said. “I’m really excited, but I’ve got to keep my feet on the ground and just go out there tomorrow and do my best.”
On the par-71 course, the scoring average briefly reached 75. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton’s 73s were respectable given the circumstances. Hatton made no mention of the rants or rages, but he was clear about what made the situation so dire.
“I don’t think you can pinpoint one thing that’s causing it. I think it’s a combination of factors,” Hatton said. “Either way, the conditions are difficult. There are some holes that obviously feel very long. Unfortunately, that’s the way it is and it seems like they’re trying to make the course longer to make it more difficult. I don’t think it makes for the most enjoyable test.”
“I didn’t tee it forward, I couldn’t reach the par-5s on the first nine holes. [in two]The 16th is a par 5 and I’ll be hitting it with a 4-iron. Can you tell me a good par 5 where I can hit it with a 4-iron off the tee? There’s no hole like that.”
Smith, who will win the Claret Jug in 2022, was even more blunt. “It was brutal,” said the Australian. The counterargument would be that a modern golfer should be able to handle the challenge.
No one read the torture script for Shane Lowry, and while other big names licked their wounds, the 2019 champion ended up leading the game, albeit for a short time.
Lawry didn’t drop a stroke in his opening round of 66. His putting was superb, especially on the final hole, when the Irishman hit a beautiful iron shot from the middle of the fairway to just five feet from the cup. “I’m very happy, but it’s only one day,” Lawry cautioned. When he finished under par at the end of the British Open Thursday, he was winning.
The most surprising thing is who the player is that will overtake Lawrie. The 29-year-old Brown had missed the cut six times in eight starts before this major. He laughed at the reputation with a bogey-free 65. Of course, the hard part is yet to come, but he should enjoy being in the spotlight.
Justin Thomas is minus-3. Alex Noren, Nicolai Hoygaard, Mackenzie Hughes, Justin Rose, Russell Henley and Xander Schauffele are two under. Adam Scott and Brooks Koepka are one back. Scottie Scheffler, who birdied his final three holes, is also one back. Scheffler’s presence will draw anxious glances from the other players.
McIlroy’s troubles began at Postage Stump. Taking a bolder line than recommended to the flag on the iconic par-3, the Northern Irishman could only watch his ball roll into a terrible lie in a greenside bunker. His first attempt from the sand rolled back to his feet. By the time McIlroy tapped in, it was a double-bogey five.
Things got even worse on the 11th hole, when McIlroy cut off his drive and his ball was eventually reported to have rattled inside the 11.35pm ScotRail train travelling from Ayr to Glasgow Central, causing him to drop another two strokes. At this point, McIlroy looked more like he was having a root canal than walking around an Ayrshire golf course.
McIlroy’s demeanor as he signed off at 7-over said more than the words that came out of his mouth. Asked if his past recovery meant he still had hopes of glory, his face read, “No.” McIlroy’s fight on Friday will depend on surviving the remaining 36 holes.
DeChambeau, who beat McIlroy to enter the U.S. Open last month, found himself in a similar predicament, coming from a different postcode before making an eagle on the 16th hole. DeChambeau, in fairness, freely admits he has yet to deal with the vagaries that come with English seaside golf.
“It’s a tough test,” DeChambeau said. “It’s something I’m not used to, I didn’t grow up playing golf. I was eighth at St. Andrews. As long as it’s warm and there’s no wind I can do it.”
“I could have given up after 9 o’clock and decided to go home. But tomorrow I have another chance. I’m looking forward to trying.”
Woods limped along and struggled to a 79, the latest lackluster viewing experience for those who remember the 15-time major champion’s greatness.
Woods’ competitive end is certainly approaching, and in the unique circumstances of this tournament, he may be in fine company.