Royal Troon makes golf’s best look bad in opening round of British Open
Sporadic rain showers and strong, unpredictable wind gusts wreaked havoc at Royal Troon Golf Club during a gloomy first round of the British Open, causing many top contenders to falter. The chaos began early in South Ayrshire, Scotland. U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau struggled with three bogeys and a double bogey in his first six…
Sporadic rain showers and strong, unpredictable wind gusts wreaked havoc at Royal Troon Golf Club during a gloomy first round of the British Open, causing many top contenders to falter.
The chaos began early in South Ayrshire, Scotland. U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau struggled with three bogeys and a double bogey in his first six holes, finishing with a 5-over 76, placing him well outside the cut line heading into Round 2.
Rory McIlroy, who boasts nine top-12 finishes in his last 11 major starts, faced a tough round, going 7-over in his last 11 holes to end with a shocking 78. Despite their exciting battle at the U.S. Open last month, it seems unlikely we’ll see a repeat performance from DeChambeau and McIlroy this week.
DeChambeau and McIlroy weren’t the only superstars to struggle on Thursday. Cameron Smith, the Open champion from two years ago, posted a disappointing 9-over 80, while Tiger Woods shot an 8-over 79. Former major champions Wyndham Clark and Louis Oosthuizen both matched McIlroy’s 7-over 78. Max Homa, Tommy Fleetwood, Tom Kim, Will Zalatoris, and Sungjae Im all finished with 5-over 76s. Ludvig Aberg, Viktor Hovland, and Hideki Matsuyama didn’t fare much better, each carding a 4-over 75.
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If current scores hold through the second round, all these high-profile players could be heading home before the weekend. While this may disappoint their fans, it underscores the challenge and unpredictability of major championships. Double- and triple-bogeys punish mistakes, contrasting sharply with the low-scoring PGA Championship, which concluded at -21.
However, Royal Troon wasn’t unfairly difficult on Thursday. Shane Lowry managed a bogey-free 66 to take the outright lead at -5. Justin Thomas overcame a double bogey to shoot a 3-under 68. Other contenders like Xander Schauffele (-2), Scottie Scheffler (-1), Brooks Koepka (-1), Matt Fitzpatrick (-1), Tony Finau (E), and Jordan Spieth (E) are all close to the lead.
For fans who enjoy high-scoring birdie fests, this might not be the tournament for them. But for those who appreciate the challenge of a course that fights back, the British Open at Royal Troon promises to deliver thrilling, unpredictable action.
