The R&A, 18 July 2024
Drama, unpredictability and world-class golf: The 152nd Open started with a bang at Royal Troon.
World number 272 Daniel Brown holds the clubhouse lead after shooting a sublime 65 on an absorbing Thursday that brought mixed conditions, mixed results and a mixed – yet exciting – leaderboard.
Brown, who won his first DP World Tour title at the 2023 ISPS Handa World Invitational, made six birdies and – perhaps more impressively – zero bogeys in testing conditions to finish on six-under-par and earn a one-shot lead over Shane Lowry.
The 29-year-old signed off in style with a birdie on 18 following a 170-yard approach shot that stopped eight feet from the hole. His reaction was calm. But deep within will be a sense of excitement after climbing into the position he has dreamed of his whole life: the lead at The Open.
Behind him are a clutch of players ready to make a Friday charge. At the front of the queue is Lowry, the 2019 Champion Golfer.
Like Brown, he played a bogey-free round and also like Brown, he birded the 18th for a 66 that leaves him on five-under-par.
Justin Thomas was the standout performer in the morning and held the clubhouse lead on three-under until Lowry finished shortly after 8pm local time (BST).
Thomas stands alone in third with a round-one 68, while lurking behind, and all under-par, are the likes of Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.
A day of two halves
Afternoon conditions were hardly simple. The Open is never simple. But as the morning rain stopped, the birdies dropped and the field enjoyed the challenge.
Lowry emerged from the crowd with birdies on 4, 7, 8, 11 and 18. He played sensible and intelligent golf in a clear reminder of his obvious talent.
It is five years since he lifted the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush. And, while there is plenty of golf to be played, this is a promising start. He is back on course at 9:47am local time (BST) on Friday.
Brown, who came through Final Qualifying at West Lancashire earlier this month, birded 3, 5, 10, 11 and 16, and so nearly took the outright lead when a birdie attempt at 17 passed inches by the hole.
His putting was on point and when he rolled in his eight-foot putt on 18 to take the lead, it was the final twist on a captivating day.
By the time he finished, the rain had, fittingly, returned.
History tells us Mother Nature is unpredictable at The Open. At Royal Troon, that was certainly true.
Locals will say the front nine is relatively kind, if the winds blows as expected. But as Justin Leonard walked onto the 1st tee box to prepare for the first shot of the week, the weather gods had conspired against him.
A headwind made the tee shot considerably trickier. And, while he found the fairway, Leonard was the first of many to stand there and face the unexpected with The Open again underlining its knack for the unpredictable.
By midday, five of the first six holes – supposedly the kindest on the course – were playing over-par, as regular rain showers and gusting winds saw temperatures fall.
Thomas stood out. His 68 featured closing birdies on 17 and 18, and was the best round of the morning.
Thomas leads chasing pack
Thomas has a love affair with links golf. But, to date, it has been a one-way relationship.
Thomas’ best Open finish is still the T11 he recorded at The 148th Open in 2019, and even then he was 12 shots off Lowry.
His Thursday round was not without drama, but what round at The Open is?
He reached four-under-par with a birdie on 11 but three dropped shots in two holes threatened to derail his morning.
However, the 31-year-old rebounded with a birdie-birdie finish – and, after his round, he was swooning about the unique challenge of links golf.
“If I had to choose one style of golf to play for the rest of my life, it would be a links course,” said the two-time PGA champion.
“I have yet to play a links course that I dislike or I think is bad. I think they’re all so unique and so fun.”
He is ahead of a powerful pack on two-under including Alex Noren, Nicolai Hojgaard, Russell Henley, Mackenzie Hughes, Joe Dean, Rose and Schauffele, while major champions Adam Scott, Matt Fitzpatrick, Koepka and Scheffler are in the group a shot further back.
Big names face Friday fight
In contrast, plenty of familiar names struggled on a tough morning for scoring.
Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, Ludvig Aberg, Tommy Fleetwood and Brian Harman all reached the turn over-par and were unable to claw it back.
Harman, at two-over-par, is still very much in contention to defend the Claret Jug, though has work to do – especially with the putter.
“It’s not all quite synced up yet,” the 2023 Champion Golfer said after his 73.
“But I’m playing some good golf, so I’ve just got to stay patient and hopefully scratch out a few more tomorrow.”
Aberg finished at four-over, while DeChambeau and Fleetwood were a stroke further back.
In the afternoon, spectators flocked to the 1st tee for a glimpse of Tiger Woods. The three-time Champion Golfer is back at Royal Troon for the first time in 20 years and generated perhaps the roar of the day when he birdied the 3rd from 35 feet.
However, that was the highlight of an otherwise difficult day. Woods bogeyed the 4th and double-bogeyed 5, while seven further dropped shots littered his scorecard en route to a 79.
That is one shot behind McIlroy, whose round unravelled around the turn.
Postage Stamp delivers
By the time the 2014 Champion arrived for his 10:09am local time (BST) tee time, the forecasted rain had well and truly set in, falling heavier than the drizzle predicted.
When it comes to variable weather at The Open, McIlroy is hardly wet behind the ears and – though he bogeyed the 1st – he was ticking along nicely at level-par through seven holes.
But, as with so many others, the Postage Stamp intervened. His tee shot landed in a greenside bunker and it took him two goes to get out. The double-bogey was followed by another on 11, as he eventually signed for a 78.
Daniel Hillier and Henrik Stenson struggled even more, both recording triple-bogeys. But there were plenty of highlights too.
The Postage Stamp’s deep bunkers normally mean trouble. But Patrick Cantlay brought the house down by chipping in for an unexpected birdie.
That deafening noise was only bettered by Darren Clarke. The 2011 Champion went closest to a hole-in-one with a gorgeous tee shot that stopped three inches from the hole.
Every shot was a rollercoaster and, with the cut looming on Friday, the drama will only increase at the famous par-3.
And, of course, at The 152nd Open.
