Unheralded English golfer Dan Brown took the lead after the first round of The Open at Royal Troon by holing a birdie putt in fading light. Brown, ranked 272 in the world and playing in his first Open after qualifying just two weeks ago, finished with a bogey-free six-under 65. He is one shot ahead of 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry, who also carded a bogey-free round in tough conditions. American Justin Thomas sits two shots behind Lowry after a round of 68.
Justin Rose, who qualified for The Open, ended the day with 11 straight pars and is part of a group at two under, which includes players like Joe Dean, Alex Noren, Nicolai Hojgaard, and Xander Schauffele. Matt Wallace briefly led before a triple-bogey on the ninth dropped him to one under alongside Matt Fitzpatrick, Scottie Scheffler, and Adam Scott.
Rory McIlroy struggled in the opening round, posting a seven-over 78 and finding himself 12 shots off the lead. Despite being one of the favorites, McIlroy had a tough day on the course, including finding trouble on Troon’s famous holes like the ‘Postage Stamp’ and ‘Railway.’ The Northern Irishman will be looking to bounce back in the following rounds after focusing on making the cut.
Tiger Woods, a three-time champion, also had a challenging round, finishing with a 79 and admitting he needs to work harder to progress in his game. Bryson DeChambeau, who came off a disappointing start, managed to turn things around with an eagle on the 16th, finishing on five over.
Brown, the surprise leader, expressed his comfort with his game and excitement for the challenge ahead. Lowry, who posted his lowest round in a major since his Open win in 2019, remains focused on maintaining his performance in the upcoming rounds. Thomas, a two-time US PGA Championship winner, highlighted the importance of patience in navigating the challenges of links golf.
As the tournament progresses, players like Brown, Lowry, and Thomas will look to build on their strong starts, while contenders like McIlroy and Woods aim to bounce back from their opening struggles. The Open at Royal Troon promises more excitement and drama as the world’s best golfers compete for the prestigious title.