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07/17/25 04:18:00
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07/17 16:16 CDT British Open has 5-way tie for the lead in fickle weather with
Scottie Scheffler in the mix
British Open has 5-way tie for the lead in fickle weather with Scottie
Scheffler in the mix
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) --- The British Open had a little bit of
everything Thursday, from sunshine to rain, a breeze to strong gusts. And no
surprise, it had Scottie Scheffler right in the mix.
Former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick handled the notorious "Calamity
Corner" par-3 16th by chipping in for birdie. Harris English, whose longtime
caddie couldn't get a travel visa for the UK because of prison time served 20
years ago, put his short-game coach on the bag and made seven birdies.
They were among five players tied for the lead at 4-under 67, the largest
logjam after 18 holes of the British Open since there was a six-way tie in 1938.
One shot behind was Scheffler, the world's No. 1 player who has not finished
out of the top 10 in the last four months, a stretch that includes another
major among three wins.
He was satisfied with the day's work of 68, even while hitting only three of 14
fairways.
Rory McIlroy made bogey on the opening hole before a massive gallery --- that
was still three shots better than his start in 2019 --- and overcame three
bogeys in a four-hole stretch with a key birdie on No. 17 that allowed him to
break par at 70.
McIlroy only hit two fairways.
He was satisfied with the day's work of 68, even while hitting only three of 14
fairways.
"It was a tough enough day, especially either chopping out of the rough or out
of the fairway bunkers most of the time," McIlroy said. "So to shoot under par
was a good effort."
It's not that golf's best were necessary wild off the tee. There was that small
matter of weather, often the greatest defense of links golf, which brought the
occasional rain, the constant wind and rounds that nearly last six hours.
That's why Scheffler seemed perplexed about so much attention on his accuracy
off the tee.
"You're the second guy that's mentioned that to me," Scheffler said. "I
actually thought I drove it pretty good. I don't know what you guys are seeing.
When it's raining sideways, believe it or not (it's) not that easy to get the
ball in the fairway.
"Really only had one swing I wasn't too happy with on the second hole," he
said. "But outside that, I felt like I hit a lot of good tee shots, hit the
ball really solid, so definitely a good bit of confidence for the next couple
of rounds."
There also was his 4-iron to 3 feet on the 16th for birdie, the start of
birdie-birdie-par finish.
But no one could go extremely low.
Jacob Skov Olesen, the British Amateur champion last year from Denmark, was the
first player to get to 5 under until a bogey at the last. He was joined at 67
by Li Haotong of China, and then Fitzpatrick joined the group with his
marvelous chip-in. Christiaan Bezuidenhout was the only player from the
afternoon wave to join them at 67.
Fitzpatrick reached a low point in his game at The Players Championship and
appears to be back on track, particularly with what he called a well-rounded
game in tough conditions on these links. He is coming off a tie for fourth last
week in the Scottish Open.
The chip-in was his highlight, from well below the green to the right, into the
cup on the fly.
"A bit of luck, obviously," Fitzpatrick said. "Sometimes you need that. It just
came out a little bit harder than I anticipated and on the perfect line."
Li might have had the most impressive round, keeping bogeys off his card, by
holing a 10-foot par putt on the final hole.
Another bogey-free round belonged to 44-year-old Justin Rose, in the group at
69 that included 52-year-old Lee Westwood, former Open champion Brian Harman
and Lucas Glover, who was tied for the lead until a pair of bogeys early on the
back nine.
English and Olesen were the only players to reach 5 under at any point.
Harris walked along with Ramon Bescansa, a former player, occasional caddie and
mostly known for teaching putt and chipping.
Eric Larson, who has caddied for English the last eight years, was denied a new
travel visa required for the UK. Among the red flags is anyone serving more
than 12 months in prison. Larson served 10 years for conspiracy to distribute
cocaine, a case of knowing friends in the Midwest who wanted it and people in
south Florida who had it.
Bescansa caddies for Abraham Ancer on LIV Golf, who didn't qualify for the
Open. English is in a crucial stretch of the season as he tries to make the
Ryder Cup team. The lanky Georgian isn't bothered by much, and he's handled the
disruption with ease.
The golf has been pretty steady, too
"Was looking forward to coming to this week, and immediately after playing the
course, I really liked it," said English, who didn't qualify for the Open when
it was at Portrush in 2019. "I loved how it frames the tee shots and you get to
see a lot more trouble than you would on a normal links course."
For everyone, the hardest part was staying dressed for the occasion. There were
sweaters and then rain suits, and some finished their round in short-sleeved
shirts. This is what is meant by "mixed" conditions in the forecast.
Defending champion Xander Schauffele had a mixture of birdies and bogeys that
added to an even-par 71. Shane Lowry, the last Open champion at Royal Portrush
in 2019, had the nerves of someone hitting the opening tee shot. He handled
that beautifully, along with most other shots in the worst of the weather in
his round of 70.
And this might just be the start.
"We're going to get challenging conditions over the next few days," Lowry said.
"Today, for example, the 11th hole was like the worst hole to get the weather
we got in. ... I think there's going to be certain times in the tournament
where that's going to happen, and you just need to kind of put your head down
and battle through it and see where it leaves you."
Padraig Harrington, a two-time Open champion, had the honor of the opening tee
shot for the 153rd edition of this championship. He made birdie. And then he
shot 74.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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