In a surprising turn of events at the 152nd British Open at Royal Troon, Daniel Brown, a 29-year-old Englishman ranked 272nd in the world, has taken the lead after the first round. Brown, making his major championship debut, shot a bogey-free 6-under 65, including birdies on two of the last three holes, to edge out 2019 champion Shane Lowry by one stroke.The challenging wind conditions at Royal Troon caught many top players off guard. Lowry, who finished with a bogey-free 66, credited his strong performance to having played the course two weeks prior in similar conditions. ‘I was lucky to get here two weeks ago and play the second day with this wind. I saw the course with any possible wind, so I guess it was good to do this and it gave me good results today,’ Lowry said.While Brown and Lowry thrived, many of the pre-tournament favorites struggled. Rory McIlroy shot a disappointing 78, leaving him 13 shots off the lead. Tiger Woods fared even worse, carding a 79, his highest start in a major since 2015. U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau also had a tough day, finishing with a 76.Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele managed to stay in contention, shooting rounds of 68 and 69 respectively. Thomas, who feels he played better than his score indicates due to the severe punishment of misses at Troon, is off to another strong start in a major championship.Brown, who qualified for the Open just two weeks ago and has been struggling to maintain consistent form, remained humble about his performance. ‘I’ll try to keep my feet on the ground and get back to work tomorrow,’ he said. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on the unexpected leader to see if he can maintain his form under the pressure of a major championship.
Key points
- Daniel Brown, ranked 272nd in the world, leads the British Open after a bogey-free 6-under 65.
- Challenging wind conditions at Royal Troon significantly impacted players’ performances.
- Top players like Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods struggled, shooting 78 and 79 respectively.
- Shane Lowry is in second place, one shot behind Brown, after shooting a bogey-free 66.
