The opening round of the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon delivered unexpected results, with favorites Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods struggling significantly while Shane Lowry surged to the lead. McIlroy, who entered the tournament as one of the favorites, shot a disastrous 78, finishing 7 over par and 10 shots behind the early clubhouse leader Justin Thomas. McIlroy’s round was marred by a double bogey on the famous Postage Stamp eighth hole and driving out of bounds on the 11th.Tiger Woods, making his return to the event, fared even worse, carding an 8-over 79. Woods, who started promisingly with a birdie on the third hole, quickly unraveled, bogeying four of the next five holes and double-bogeying the 11th. This performance puts Woods in danger of missing the cut for the third consecutive major this year.The challenging conditions at Royal Troon, particularly the unexpected strong winds, caught many players off guard. Justin Thomas managed to navigate the difficult conditions effectively, taking the early clubhouse lead with a three-under-par 68. However, it was Shane Lowry who emerged as the leader after day one, shooting an impressive five-under-par round.Other notable performances included Sepp Straka, who shot a 70 (-1) in the first round, putting him in a promising position. U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau also struggled, finishing six over par.Both McIlroy and Woods now face an uphill battle to make the cut, with McIlroy stating he needs to focus on making the cut rather than winning. Woods, at 48 years old, is already looking ahead to next year, hoping to do more work in the gym and improve his game. Despite the calls for retirement from some quarters, Woods remains determined to compete, citing his exemption to play in The Open until he’s 60.
Key points
- Shane Lowry leads the Open Championship after day one with a five-under-par round.
- Rory McIlroy struggled, shooting a 78 and finishing 7 over par.
- Tiger Woods carded an 8-over 79, putting him in danger of missing the cut for the third consecutive major this year.
- Unexpected strong winds at Royal Troon contributed to the poor performances of several top golfers.
Contradictions👾While most sources report Justin Thomas as the early clubhouse leader, one source claims Shane Lowry leads after day one.
This discrepancy might be due to different reporting times or incomplete information.
