Golfing greats seek their form in Scotland
A grey day and umbrellas everywhere is the rather depressing day one setting for the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland. But, never fear, the crowds are there in their thousands willing on their favourite players in the final Major of the season. World stars such as the World Number One player, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, along with a number of awe-inspiring club professionals who have qualified for the Open, together with a collection of twelve scintillating amateurs are all competing in South Ayrshire.
The defending champion from America, Brian Harman, is also at Royal Troon. The 37-year old from Georgia is looking to repeat his quiet brilliance of 2023. He shot a two-over par 73 yesterday which maybe doesn’t sound too impressive but at Royal Troon it is certainly a steady opening round.
Whilst the big guns struggled at Royal Troon, it was a player ranked 272nd in the World Ranking that shone brightly. The unexpected star of the day is England’s Daniel Brown. The 29-year old from Northallerton, who is playing in his first Major, shot an awesome six-under par 65 to take the outright lead from Ireland’s Shane Lowry. He received an invitation to play in the Open thanks to closing out with a 20-foot putt in the 36-hole qualifying event at West Lancashire earlier this month.
At Royal Troon, Daniel Brown opened with two birdies on the front nine and closed out with four birdies on the back nine, including a birdie down the last for a cracking round of 65.
So what happened to the big boys on day one?
Well, Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who won the Open at Royal Portrush in Ireland in 2019, played a superb round in Scotland and finished on a highly-commendable score of 5-under par, 66 and was looking pretty certain to finish as number one until Daniel Brown birdied the 18th and nipped one stroke ahead.
Earlier in the day America’s Justin Thomas was really on a high finishing his round with birdies on the 17th and 18th to top the leaderboard with a 3-under par 68.
The new Genesis Scottish Open Champion, Robert MacIntyre was also on a roll. He was playing with Spain’s Jon Rahm who shot a 73 and England’s Tommy Fleetwood (76).
The US Open Champion, Bryson DeChambeau was also struggling at Royal Troon. At one point, he was 7-over par but thanks to an eagle at the 16th he finished on 5-over par.
A bogey, par, birdie start for one of the favourites in Scotland, Rory McIlroy, saw the 2014 Open Champion, have a frustrating day. The 35-year old golfer from Northern Ireland seemed to find every bunker on the course. And, not only that, he hit his tee-shot at the 11th hole out-of-bounds. His 7-over par 78 rather sums up his disappointment.
America’s Scottie Scheffler, who has had six wins and two runner-up spots in his last ten events, was not at all at ease on day one on the first nine. However, after playing level par, he then recorded four birdies and two bogeys on the back nine for a respectable 1-under par 70.
Brooks Koepka (USA) had a slow start after opening with a par and two bogeys. However, the five times Major winner followed that with four straight birdies to finish with a round of 70.
The first hole was quite a spectacle at times. Australian Adam Scott, who finished second in the Genesis Scottish Open last week, opened with a birdie after his ball plopped into the hole out of the bunker. He finished with a 70. Two amateur players made a great impression there too. Spanish player Jaime Montojo holed his second shot at the 364-yard first for an impressive eagle. Dodd Berry (amateur) also birdied the first hole.
Today is day two of the Open. How will the players fare? Can Englishman Daniel Brown hold onto his rather unexpected lead or will one of the golfing greats refind their form? Whatever happens, it is going to be another exciting day at Royal Troon!
Wendy Hoad
Editor
MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: Englishman Daniel Brown is the unexpected leader after day one of the Open at Royal Troon, Scotland.