American golfer Justin Thomas emerged as the early leader at the 152nd Open Championship, showcasing his prowess with a solid opening round of three-under 68 at the challenging Royal Troon course. The twice former PGA champion soared to four under after ten holes before encountering a brief period of difficulty. However, he finished the round with a strong flourish, sinking a lengthy birdie on the final hole to set the early pace.
Sweden’s Alex Noren, England’s Justin Rose, and Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard all finished the day tied for second place at two under par. The blustery conditions on the Ayrshire coast proved challenging for several big names, including reigning U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, who struggled significantly, finding himself six over par after 11 holes. World number two Rory McIlroy also encountered a tough start, with his challenge beginning poorly.
Thomas, who has yet to achieve a top-10 finish at the Open and missed the cut last year, birdied the second, fourth, and seventh holes. He also sank a birdie on the challenging Postage Stamp par-three eighth hole. However, a double bogey six on the 12th and a bogey on the 13th momentarily stalled his momentum. But he responded with a clutch par putt from 17 feet on the 15th, followed by birdies on the final two holes to secure the lead.
“I played so well today but gave a couple back at the beginning of the back nine,” stated Thomas, a former world number one. “I’m playing really well and feeling confident about my game. “It’s nice to get off to a good start in a major.”
Play commenced under cloudy skies at 6.35am local time on the Ayrshire coast, with 1997 Open champion Justin Leonard striking the first tee shot of the day. He finished with an 80, but he wasn’t the only player struggling in the tricky conditions. DeChambeau was in danger of playing himself out of the tournament on day one, while the likes of McIlroy, Max Homa, and Tommy Fleetwood also faced difficulties.
McIlroy, seeking his fifth major title ten years after his last one, bogeyed the first hole and dropped two shots on the Postage Stamp as his bunker escape rolled back into the cavernous sand trap. Things went from bad to worse as he bogeyed the 10th and then incurred a double bogey on the 11th after hitting his tee shot out of bounds over the railway track bordering the course. McIlroy found himself five over par after 11 holes.
Reigning champion Brian Harman had an uncharacteristic up-and-down front nine, with two birdies and three bogeys, leaving him level par with six holes remaining. Large galleries flocked to see hometown favorite Robert MacIntyre, who was paired with Spain’s Jon Rahm and England’s Fleetwood. MacIntyre started solidly but undone an early birdie with a missed par putt on the fifth and was one over after 14 holes. Rahm also appeared frustrated at times, finishing one over after 14 holes, as the Troon links presented a formidable challenge.
World number one Scottie Scheffler is among the late starters, alongside fellow Americans Jordan Spieth, the 2017 Open champion, and Cameron Young.
