Brown’s Strong Start at Royal Birkdale
Dan Brown, a 31-year-old golfer from Yorkshire, made a strong start at the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, carding a four-under 66 on the first day. This performance placed him one shot behind the leader, American Jackson Suber, and level with South Korea’s Im Sung-jae. Brown’s round included birdies on the eighth and ninth holes, followed by five more on the back nine, contributing to his 66.
Brown’s early success comes despite his admission of smoking during his round, a habit he maintains he is vigilant about given the dry conditions at Royal Birkdale. He stated he smoked “seven or eight” cigarettes during his round and ensures they are properly extinguished to prevent any fire risk. The course’s dry state is due to recent hot weather in Merseyside, prompting event attendees to be cautious about fire hazards.
This strong opening round follows a period where Brown had missed the cut in his previous four tournaments. However, he has previously shown his capability at the Open, having sensationally taken the lead on day one at Troon two years prior and eventually finishing in a tie for 10th place. Brown expressed confidence in his ability to compete in a major championship, feeling he is a better player now than he was then.
English Hopes and McIlroy’s Challenges
Eight English players finished under par on the first day, boosting local hopes for a first English Open winner in 34 years. Among them was local hero Tommy Fleetwood, who hails from nearby Southport. Fleetwood, determined to improve on his 2017 performance at Birkdale, managed a solid one-under 69. He described playing an Open at Birkdale as a dream and acknowledged feeling nervous on the first tee.
Fleetwood’s round included an early birdie on the fifth, and despite bogeys on the 10th and 12th, he rallied with another birdie on the 15th and 17th to finish under par. He credited the crowd for their support, stating they “carried him a little bit” through tougher patches. Other English players who finished under par include Jordan Smith, Matt Wallace, Laurie Canter, Alex Fitzpatrick, Matthew Southgate, and Tyrrell Hatton.
In contrast, Masters champion Rory McIlroy had a challenging first round, ending the day seven shots off the lead with a two-over 72. His round included six bogeys and four birdies. McIlroy, who played alongside Matt Fitzpatrick, struggled with his putting despite driving the ball well. He finished positively with a birdie on the 18th hole. McIlroy expressed optimism, hoping for better conditions on Friday morning and smoother greens to improve his position for the weekend.
Matt Fitzpatrick, considered one of the pre-Open favourites, also faced difficulties in the tougher, windier evening conditions, finishing two over par. Both Fitzpatrick and McIlroy will need to improve their scores to ensure they make the weekend cut. They are scheduled to play early on Friday, potentially benefiting from more benign weather before stronger winds are forecast for the afternoon.
Leaderboard and Other Contenders
Jackson Suber, a 26-year-old American, leads the tournament at five under par. This marks his first visit to Europe, and he had only played 27 holes on a links course before this week at Birkdale. He managed to move into the clubhouse lead despite battling windier conditions later in the day.
A large group of players are two shots behind Suber at three under par. This group includes Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, two-time major winner Bryson DeChambeau, and Italian veteran Francesco Molinari, who won the Open in 2018. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is also among the contenders, sitting at two under par after being four under through six holes.
The last English player to win the Open was Sir Nick Faldo in 1992, and the last English winner on English soil was Tony Jacklin in 1969. The strong showing by the English contingent in the first round provides a renewed sense of hope for ending this long wait.
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Source: bbc.com
