Key occasions
Leaderboard replace
As I hand again to Scott Murray, listed here are the newest scores on the doorways. Thomas leads and it’s a seven-way tie for second. A complete of 14 gamers are underneath par.
-3: Justin Thomas (F)
-2: Noren (F), N Hojgaard (F), Rose (F), Kirk (14), Henley (12), McNealy (8), Hutsby (4)
A fast look forward to a number of the key afternoon tee-times…
2.26pm Koepka, Clark, Matsuyama
2.37pm Woods, Schauffele, Cantlay
2.48pm Morikawa, Burns, Kim
2.59pm Lowry, Smith, Fitzpatrick
3.10pm Scheffler, Spieth, Younger
Justin Thomas units new clubhouse lead
A birdie-birdie end from Justin Thomas and final week’s first-round chief on the Scottish Open has now set the brand new clubhouse goal right here of -3. JT separates himself from the pack with a 25-foot putt on the final. That’ll make lunch style sweeter though we’ll by no means actually know the way candy it might have tasted with out that putt getting in. May it, the truth is, now be too candy? One thing to ponder.
Justin Rose ties clubhouse lead
Justin Rose makes par at 18 and his 2-under 69 offers him a chunk of the clubhouse lead alongside Alex Noren and Nicolai Hojgaard. Can the afternoon starters fare any higher than this? Not less than we’ve simply seen our first eagle of the day because of Stephan Jaeger draining his method from 127 yards for a 2 on the thirteenth. An excellent second in a spherical which featured 5 straight bogeys on the entrance 9. The German is now a extra respectable +4.
Henrik Stenson, the final winner right here at Troon in 2016, begins his spherical in a bobble hat. Very Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks. The Swede shot a outstanding 20-under eight years in the past when beating Phil Mickelson in an exciting duel. Mickelson was 11 away from third place!
Simply 12 gamers underneath par to this point with the air heavy and situations difficult. Jon Rahm’s spherical has threatened to derail a few occasions however the Spaniard, who typically seems to be appearing out a morality play after struggling a giant dip in kind since taking the LIV cash, is hanging in there properly and sits at even par after 11. Within the majors this yr, Rahm was forty fifth when defending his Masters crown, missed the lower within the US PGA and he pulled out of the US Open with a foot damage. McIlroy overcomes a unfastened tee shot at 9 with some good restoration play and that completes an outward half of +2, his scorecard spoiled by the double at 8.
The present climate forecast suggests gentle rain by way of the remainder of the day and winds maybe simply dropping slightly round 5pm. The ultimate trio hit off at 4.27pm native by the way in which. Tiger Woods begins at 2.37pm alongside fellow Californians Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. Schauffele, who received the latest US PGA, has been runner-up in one other Open held in Scotland: Carnoustie in 2018.
Nicolai Hojgaard completes a 2-under 69 with a par at 18 so we now have a Dane and a Swede – each Ryder Cuppers of their time – sharing the clubhouse lead. Justin Rose is one among 4 others at -2 and he’s enjoying the ultimate gap now. A leaderboard replace.
-2: Noren (F), N Hojgaard (F), Rose (17), Kirk (12), McNealy (6), MW Kim (4)
Simon McMahon sends an electronic mail. “Hello David. In amongst all of the (comprehensible) euphoria of Bob MacIntyre’s Scottish Open win final week, the purpose he made about beginning to win solely after he stopped fascinated by successful, is one which I’m certain received’t be misplaced on others, perhaps McIlroy amongst them? Golf is like no different sport concerning the psychological turmoil it might probably inflict on contributors, even the greats. Get me, sat right here on my couch, providing recommendation to a 4 time main champion. However the level stands, I believe.”
It does. Speaking of MacIntyre, he’s simply accomplished a entrance 9 of even-par 36. A birdie at 3, a bogey at 5 and pars the remainder of the way in which, the newest a two-putt conversion from 35 toes on the ninth. Rory is now heading there at +2 after a double bogey on the Postage Stamp eighth.
From a reasonably diddy 118 yards, McIlroy’s aggressive tee-shot on the Postage Stamp lands good of the flag however there’s hardly any room there. His ball appears to be like as if it might grasp on however, no, it falls away right into a bunker. A mistake. Tyrrell Hatton, additionally at even par after 7, performs it safer, his ball spinning and staying on the entrance of the inexperienced. This can be a powerful bunker shot with the face excessive and Rory compounds his preliminary error, getting too cute together with his splashout, the ball not travelling far sufficient and dying a sluggish dying again into the identical bunker. His second try, from a neater lie, is understandably overhit and he’s now looking at double bogey.
Regular sufficient begin for McIlroy and never making birdie on both of the par 5s at 4 and 6 isn’t significantly pricey on condition that they’re enjoying into the wind right now which is uncommon. A fast delve into the stats exhibits his putter is slightly chilly (-0.53 SG: Placing) nevertheless it’s very early days. McIlroy now heads to Postage Stamp eighth at stage par and two again.
A primary birdie of the day for Tommy Fleetwood and it comes at The Postage Stamp. His two at 8 returns him to +2 and, let’s get some context right here, he’s solely 4 off the lead regardless of the sticky begin. It’s more durable to place a constructive spin on DeChambeau’s entrance 9 (+6 after 8) though I’ll attempt. He’s solely eight again. Paul Lawrie was 10 behind with 18 to play at Carnoustie in 1999 for goodness sake.
It’s uncommon to see no-one higher than -2 when the clock strikes noon in spherical one among an Open. However that’s the truth. A reminder although that Younghan Tune, Matt Wallace and Justin Thomas all hit -4 earlier earlier than working into bother. Tune completed with an even-par 71, Wallace can also be at ranges with 5 to play whereas Thomas is -1 after 14.
Eight straight pars for Justin Rose, who stays tied for the lead at -2 with simply three to play. Rose, remarkably, has been the first-rounder chief on the US Masters on 4 totally different events. Within the Open Championship, he’s ended the opening lap inside the highest 10 simply as soon as since 2003 though that was comparatively just lately: 2021 at Royal St George’s by way of a 67. The bunch on high at -2 remains to be 5 gamers nevertheless it’s a revolving forged checklist. Nicolai Hojgaard and Minkyu Kim of Korea are the brand new entrants, with Adam Scott and Russell Henley dropping out after bogeys.
-2: Alex Noren (F), N Hojgaard (16), Rose (15), Kirk (10), MW Kim (2)
Dry skies now so the official look is jumpers fairly than raingear though Justin Thomas is rocking a hoodie which, in some ridiculous fusty {golfing} circles, will likely be inflicting a shitstorm. Rory appears to be like glad to be shed of his outerwear and even par after 5 holes is first rate sufficient on condition that no-one has escaped on the high of the leaderboard.
Nonetheless a five-way tie for the lead however Thomas isn’t a part of it after a bogey at 13. The brand new man is one other American, Chris Kirk, and maybe we shouldn’t be suprised by his presence on condition that he was the 2023 winner of the Cognizant Basic in Florida. Why is that important? Try the checklist of former winners of that occasion at PGA Nationwide and also you’ll discover Todd Hamilton, Justin Leonard, Mark Calcavecchia and Tom Weiskopf – all winners of the Open right here at Royal Troon.
This can be a horror present from Bryson DeChambeau. When successful the US Open and ending runner-up within the US PGA, he ranked twelfth and nineteenth respectively for Strokes Gained: Placing. His efficiency on the greens was important to his success. However right here he’s completely been bamboozled by the placing surfaces. He’s formally the 74th worst putter of the 77 gamers out on the course and his newest gaffe on the greens has resulted in a double bogey 7 on the par-5 sixth. Remarkably, DeChambeau is now +5. A much less spectacular fail however nonetheless within the realms of vastly disappointing is the beginning made by Tommy Fleetwood: +3 after 7.
The chief’s curse has struck once more with Thomas the newest participant to fall again from his lofty place of -4. JT’s backward step happens after a double at 12 and it means we now have a five-way tie for the lead at -2. A kind of, Alex Noren, is completed for the day and leads within the clubhouse.
-2: Alex Noren (F), Scott (15), Rose (14), Thomas (12), Henley (7)
This requires a reminiscence jog however an beginner shared the lead after spherical one among final yr’s Open at Hoylake. That was South African Christo Lamprecht, all 6ft 8in of him, after he fired a 66 to tie high spot with Tommy Fleetwood and Emiliano Grillo. It might not fairly be as startling however now we have an beginner at present second within the clubhouse standings after an even-par 71 and he’s a neighborhood Scot too. The person in query is 20-year-old Calum Scott, who combined 4 birdies and 4 bogeys right now. He’s at present tied twelfth on the reside leaderboard.
Joaquin Niemann drains a prolonged putt at 7 to go to -1 after six straight pars. The Chilean, who performs on the LIV Tour, highlights how skewed the world rankings are lately. Niemann is method down 112th within the official standings on account of LIV gamers not being awarded any OWGR factors. And but Datagolf, who do take LIV performances under consideration, have him at twelfth on their checklist. He’ll decide up factors this week after all.
Brian Harman is channelling his Hoylake magic once more. After a bogey to begin, the left-hander had birdied 2 and 4 and he’s as much as tied fifth. Different notable names on that quantity are Scandies Ludvig Aberg (4) and Viktor Hovland (4). Perhaps Harman may very well be main the Claret Jug race once more pretty quickly on condition that two-shot chief Justin Thomas has pushed right into a gorse bush at 11.
Bryson DeChambeau is discovering Royal Troon’s greens a riddle wrapped in a thriller inside an enigma. One other quick one missed and the US Open champ is +3 after 4. Winston Churchill, who got here out with that above quote to explain Russia, additionally had one about golf consider it not. It suggests he had his troubles. “Golf is a sport whose purpose is to hit a really small ball into an ever smaller gap, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the aim.”
Correction, Matt Wallace made triple not double at 9. Which means each he and Tune chucked away three photographs on a single gap after hitting -4 at one level. Each now reside at -1. Justin Thomas will hope today one curse (bit robust for simply two examples to be sincere) received’t occur to him.
A scroll down the official yellow Open leaderboard exhibits not very best begins for 3 gamers backed to go properly this week: John Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood and Tom Kim. All featured closely at Hoylake final yr – Rahm and Kim ending properly to share second place and Fleetwood a giant issue earlier than falling to tenth – however they’re all at +1 right here. Replace – that’s a reside weblog for you – Kim has birdied 4 to return to even par. Rahm and Fleetwood have additionally performed 4 holes.
Final week’s Scottish Open hero Robert MacIntyre definitely loved his post-Renaissance Membership celebrations, cancelling his Open press convention from Monday to Wednesday to presumably get slightly steadier on his toes. He’s already produced one massive Open roar right here with a birdie at 3 and is -1 after 4 though he’s leaked his tee-shot left at 5. Very good method photographs from McIlroy and Hatton to three dance across the gap. The previous ought to make birdie and the latter a par regardless of his penalty for locating the ditch.
Tyrrell Hatton was fifth at Royal Troon in 2016 – his finest Open end – and he’s been in good nick (apparently) on the LIV Tour with a win and a 3rd in his final two 54-hole occasions. A par-par begin right here was first rate sufficient however his tee-shot at 3 has bounded on and dropped right into a ditch working throughout the green. F-bomb stuff proper there. On a wider level, it exhibits that the wind could have switched to behind (the prevailing wind over Troon’s opening stretch alongside the shoreline). Which means the birdie-count on this opening third of the course ought to improve however will make the closing 9 more durable.
Justin Rose tees off at 11, the cherry picker digital camera shot exhibiting the railway line working adjoining to the green which Rose finds after a pleasant drive. The Englishman’s fourth place as a baggy-trousered 17-year previous at Royal Birkdale in 1997 is a part of Open folklore however far much less identified is that he received to Open Remaining Qualifying as a 14-year-old! Good grief! That swing on the high performs out. Wallace makes double bogey at 9, Thomas holes for birdie at 10 and the American leads the 152nd Open by two photographs.
Rory’s method to 2 from 159 yards is pin excessive however about 25 toes left of the flag. And sizzling information from the ninth the place chief Matt Wallace has misplaced his ball! Double bogey trying doubtless there. And as Wallace stumbles, a gap forward on the tenth, Thomas seizes the second with a superb method and he’ll have an excellent take a look at birdie. If he can sink that, JT will likely be two clear. DeChambeau’s sticky begin continues as he suffers a par-putt lip out for the second time in three holes to drop to +2.
Former Royal Troon Open winners Justin Leonard (1997) and Todd Hamilton (2004) are discovering it powerful right now. They’re at +8 and +7 respectively with three holes to play. Should you fancy a bit of additional nostalgia, right here’s Steven Pye with a look back to the 1989 Open at Troon received by Mark Calcavecchia.
Matt Wallace comes near a hole-in-one at The Postage Stamp. Regardless of, a tap-in birdie at that eighth gap places the Englishman out in entrance at -4. He’s one away from Justin Thomas, who was the first-round chief finally week’s Scottish Open because of a 62 earlier than falling away to complete 62nd. He in all probability didn’t admire the symmetry. Much less excellent news for Rory, whose chip on the 1st comes up quick and he can’t gap the par putt from 8 toes. Even worse information for Max Homa who has been out of kinds for some time and makes double bogey.
-4: Wallace (8)
-3: Thomas (8)
-2: N Hojgaard (10), Scott (10), Molinari (9), Rose (9)
Paul McGinley makes the purpose that in addition to the wind, gamers are having to regulate to the heavy air. All that salt in it’s resulting in balls simply not flying very far. Rory finds that out with an method to 1 that lands wanting the inexperienced however he simply avoids the bunker. And there’s a primary “sorry for any robust language you will have heard there” of the day for Tyrrell Hatton because the fiery Englishman leaks his second shot proper though it finds the placing floor. “Terrible golf shot,” he mutters.
Royal Troon has received the higher of Tune on the eleventh and the Korean, who hit the giddy heights of -4 after 8, has spiralled again into the pack after a triple bogey 7. Ouch. That’s 4 photographs gone within the final three holes. There are struggles elsewhere too. Tommy Fleetwood has bogeyed the 2nd to fall to +1 and Harman might want to gap an extended par putt at 1 after discovering the entrance bunker together with his method. He can’t. Harman +1.
Bryson DeChambeau produced an otherworldly up and all the way down to win the US Open and break Rory McIlroy’s coronary heart at Pinehurst final month. Right here at Troon, he mentioned within the build-up that hyperlinks golf is a “problem” and that’s proven in his Open document: 60-8-33-MC-51-MC. He’s definitely discovered the primary inexperienced a problem, taking three putts to begin out with a bogey.
As he stomps off to the 2nd tee, right here comes McIlroy onto the first – this has been properly scripted hasn’t it – and the Northern Irishman, in his darkish raingear, finds the green with a low drawn iron.
Thanks Scott. First job is to inform you that defending champion Brian Harman has simply teed off and located the primary fairway. He’s in a lovely three-ball alongside Norway’s Viktor Hovland and widespread American Sahith Theegala. Harman clearly had his wonderful win at Hoylake final yr nevertheless it goes slightly underreported that he was sixth the yr earlier than at St Andrews. On present kind (twenty first Scottish Open, ninth Vacationers), he will need to have an excellent probability of cracking the highest 10 for a 3rd straight yr.
… and with that, I’ll hand you over to David Tindall. Goodbye!
Trouble for the chief Younghan Tune at 11. He sends his tee shot into thick stuff down the correct, then pulls his subsequent one throughout the green into correct filth. He won’t discover that, so properly performs a provisional. He’ll virtually definitely be dropping out of the lead, his place virtually definitely to be taken by Justin Thomas, who screws his tee shot on the Postage Stamp to seven inches. When JT faucets in, he’ll be -3.