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Daniel Brown moves into lead at Royal Troon

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2 months ago

July 21, 2024

England's Daniel Brown watches his iron shot from the 17th tee on the opening day of the 152nd British Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon on the south west coast of Scotland on July 18, 2024.

Europeans sit on the high of the 2024 British Open.

English golfer Daniel Brown, 29, made a surprising run to the highest of the leaderboard on Thursday at Royal Troon Golf Membership, main Irishman Shane Lowry by a single stroke heading into Spherical 2.

To say Brown hasn’t had latest success heading into the Open can be an understatement. He completed 61st at his most up-to-date event, the Genesis Scottish Open, and earlier than that, missed the minimize or withdrew in six of his final seven tournaments.

“I do know if I play effectively, I can compete with most, so hopefully it carries on all through the week,” Brown stated after his spherical.

It was additionally an encouraging begin for Justin Thomas (-3), who’s searching for his first main victory since 2022.

Additional down the leaderboard, it was a primary spherical to overlook for a few of golf’s most notable names: Tiger Woods (+8), Rory McIlroy (+7) and Bryson DeChambeau (+5) all struggled on the hyperlinks.

USA TODAY Sports activities lined all issues Open Championship, together with highlights, leaderboard updates and extra beneath.

BRITISH OPEN LEADERBOARD: Dwell scores from Royal Troon

British Open leaderboard

Final up to date at 4:40 p.m. ET

1. Daniel Brown, -6 (65)

2. Shane Lowry, -5 (66)

3. Justin Thomas, -3 (68)

T4. Alex Noren, -2 (69)

T4. Nicolai Hojgaard, -2 (69)

T4. Justin Rose, -2 (69)

T4. Russell Henley, -2 (69)

T4. Xander Schauffele, -2 (69)

T4. Mackenzie Hughes, -2 (69)

T4. Joe Dean, -2 (69)

T11. Adam Scott, -1 (70)

Six others tied at -1

Full stay leaderboard

Daniel Brown takes outright lead at The Open Championship

Daniel Brown might have cracked the code of Royal Troon.

The English golfer sank a birdie putt on No. 18 to snag the outright lead from Shane Lowry on the 2024 Open Championship, dropping to 6-under (65) within the first spherical.

Brown is angling for a storybook ending to the Open, although there are three rounds to go: He has a single win on the DP World Tour, which got here in 2023 on the ISPS Handa World Invitational.

Daniel Brown ties Shane Lowry on leaderboard

What a turnaround it has been for golfer Daniel Brown.

Via 16 holes, the 29-year-old golfer is a co-leader on the 2024 Open Championship after sinking a birdie putt on No. 15, gaining a stroke to tie Shane Lowry at 5-under.

It is fairly the swing for Brown: He is missed the minimize or withdrawn from seven of his final eight tournaments – all on the DP World Tour – and completed 61st at his most up-to-date entry.

Brown has two extra holes to complete out the spectacular first spherical at Royal Troon.

Shane Lowry finishes spherical atop leaderboard

In 2019, Shane Lowry captured his first and solely main title at The Open Championship. In 2024, he put himself in good place to make a run at one other.

The Irishman completed his first spherical at The Open Championship with a 5-under 66, good for sole possession atop the leaderboard.

Of the golfers who stay on the course, Daniel Brown (4-under, 67) is the one different menace to Lowry’s lead. Earlier within the day, Justin Thomas set the usual with a 3-under 68. Thomas sits alone in third place.

Tiger Woods rating right this moment on the Open

Tiger Woods began the primary spherical of the 2024 Open Championship with promise, but it surely ended with disappointment.

After tallying two pars and a birdie in his first three holes, Woods could not maintain the momentum going: He would bogey 4 of his subsequent 5 holes, together with a double on the par-3 fifth. Woods added 4 extra bogeys on the again 9, ending his day at an 8-over 79.

Is Bryson DeChambeau taking part in within the Open?

After his victory on the 2024 U.S. Open, Bryson DeChambeau teed off on the hyperlinks in Scotland for the 2024 Open Championship on Thursday. He had a primary spherical to overlook, nevertheless: DeChambeau struggled, ending with a 5-over 76, seemingly ending his alternative at a 3rd main victory.

Shane Lowry strikes into the lead

With a 21-foot birdie putt on No. 11, Shane Lowry has taken sole possession of the first-round lead on the 152nd Open Championship.

The winner of the Claret Jug in 2019 at Royal Portrush, Lowry has put collectively a bogey-free opening spherical to this point –with three birdies on the entrance 9 along with his newest hen on the par-4 eleventh.

Xander Schauffele makes it a three-way tie

Enjoying in the identical group with a struggling Tiger Woods, reigning PGA champion Xander Schauffele rolled in a 36 1/2-foot birdie putt on the par-4 eleventh gap to tie Justin Thomas and Shane Lowry for the first-round lead.

Schauffele beforehand birdied each of the par-3 holes on the entrance 9 earlier than including his newest on 11. Woods is at 6-over by means of 11 holes.

British Open clubhouse leaderboard

With the opening spherical in progress and variety of golfers nonetheless on the course, here is a have a look at the highest early starters who’ve already accomplished their rounds.

Justin Thomas 68 (-3)
Alex Noren 69 (-2)
Nicolai Hojgaard 69 (-2)
Justin Rose 69 (-2)
Russell Henley 69 (-2)
Adam Scott 70 (-1)
Matt Wallace 70 (-1)
Chris Kirk 70 (-1)

Full stay leaderboard

Shane Lowry pulls into tie for lead

Justin Thomas has firm on the high of the leaderboard.

Shane Lowry, the 2019 Open champion, rolled in a 9-foot birdie putt on No. 8 to get to 3-under for his spherical – matching Thomas’ rating from earlier within the day.

Because the wind picks up throughout the afternoon, birdies appear to be in a lot shorter provide. However Lowry has been regular tee-to-green to this point, with three birdies and 5 pars.

Tiger Woods discovering loads of bother on entrance 9

With a highlight-reel birdie placing him 1-under by means of three holes, Tiger Woods was off to a powerful begin at Royal Troon. Nonetheless, the damp and breezy situations have made issues far more tough for the 15-time main champion as his spherical has progressed.

Woods bogeyed the par-5 fourth – one of many simpler holes on the course – then double-bogeyed the par-3 fifth to negate any of the early momentum he might have constructed up. After one other bogey at 7, Woods flew the inexperienced on the brief par-3 “Postage Stamp” gap and missed his putt for par.

Via eight holes, Woods is 4-over on his spherical.

19-year-old novice holes out for eagle on first gap

Golf simply is not imagined to be this straightforward for a young person.

Spanish novice Jaime Montojo – who performs collegiately within the U.S. at Texas A&M – made it into this 12 months’s British Open by surviving a grueling 36-hole qualifying event.

In his first gap at Royal Troon, the 19-year-old efficiently discovered the golf green off the tee, placing him 132 yards from the outlet.

After which this occurred.

The opening eagle instantly put Montojo onto the leaderboard, only one stroke behind clubhouse chief Justin Thomas.

Brooks Koepka goes on spectacular birdie run

Brooks Koepka at all times appears to be at his greatest within the largest occasions, with 5 main titles in his profession. However he is by no means received the British Open.

He has, nevertheless, completed within the high 10 at The Open 4 completely different occasions.

Koepka rebounded from a pair of bogeys on the second and third holes with a formidable string of 4 consecutive birdies to maneuver inside one shot of the lead.

Three of these birdies got here after lethal correct method photographs left him with putts inside 12 toes. He additionally birdied the monstrous par-5 sixth gap with a 28-footer that he buried within the backside of the cup.

The place is Royal Troon golf course?

Royal Troon Golf Membership, a hyperlinks course, is situated on the coast of Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The course was based in 1878 and sits close to the River Clyde.

Tiger Woods rolls in birdie from off inexperienced

It wasn’t fairly as dramatic as his iconic chip-in at No. 16 at Augusta, however Tiger Woods confirmed a glimpse of the previous magic on the third gap at Royal Troon.

Sitting above the outlet and simply off the again of the inexperienced, Woods’ putt over a ridge made a sweeping flip again to his left and rolled instantly within the cup for birdie.

The birdie put Tiger at 1-under for his spherical — two strokes behind chief Justin Thomas.

Tiger Woods on the course at Royal Troon

Three-time British Open winner Tiger Woods has begun his opening spherical, hitting a 3-wood off the tee right into a stiff wind on the 365-yard, par-4 first gap. Woods discovered the sunshine tough on the appropriate aspect of the golf green and hit a 6-iron safely onto the entrance of the inexperienced.

From there, he two-putted for a routine par.

Woods, a 15-time main champion, is taking part in in a gaggle with Patrick Cantlay and reigning PGA champ Xander Schauffele. Each of them additionally parred the opening gap.

Justin Thomas alone atop leaderboard

After a quick stumble early on the again 9, American Justin Thomas completed with a flurry to take the outright lead with a 3-under 68.

“I am very glad. Not as glad as I will be after I’m in sweatpants and a sweatshirt this afternoon on the sofa,” Thomas instructed NBC’s interviewer Cara Banks “It is a correct Scottish day and it is good to get off to begin.”

Thomas birdied 5 of his first 10 holes at Royal Troon, together with the well-known “Postage Stamp” par-3 eighth to briefly take a two-shot lead. However he gave these photographs proper again when his driver betrayed him, leading to a double bogey on 12 and bogey on 13.

However the two-time main champion (PGA 2017, 2022) rallied with birdies on the ultimate two holes to take a one-stroke lead over three others already within the clubhouse – and several other others nonetheless on the course.

Ought to Tiger Woods retire?

USA TODAY Sports activities columnist Dan Wolken has some ideas:

“If you happen to’re sufficiently old to recollect the origins of Tiger Woods, there’s nostalgic pleasure within the concept he can nonetheless dunk on Colin Montgomerie right this moment with simply as a lot aptitude as he did throughout the 1997 Masters in a 3rd spherical that modified the course of golf historical past,” Wolken writes. “However Montgomerie, within the full context of his feedback within the London Occasions, isn’t mistaken both.”

What precisely is Woods attempting to perform by nonetheless being on the market?

Except he can do one thing on the course, we’d should admit that Monty had some extent.

Learn Dan Wolken’s complete column.

Rory McIlroy struggles by means of opening spherical

After an early birdie, issues have gone south for Northern Eire’s Rory McIlroy on the British Open.

McIlroy took a double bogey on the par-3 “Postage Stamp” eighth gap after a promising tee shot simply carried right into a greenside bunker. Nonetheless, he wanted two photographs to flee the sand after which missed a 14-footer for bogey.

His troubles continued with a bogey on No. 10 and a double on 11. Via 13 holes, the 2014 Open champion sat eight photographs off the lead at 5-over.

McIlroy first appeared at The Open in 2007, when he completed in forty second place. He has completed within the high six six occasions in eight tournaments relationship again to 2014. He tied for sixth final 12 months at Royal Liverpool.

Scottie Scheffler at British Open

Masters winner Scottie Scheffler has appeared at The Open thrice in his profession, together with his highest end coming throughout his 2021 debut on the occasion. Scheffler completed in a tie for eighth place that 12 months at Royal St. George’s.

Scheffler has one of many later tee occasions of Thursday’s first spherical. He’ll get began at 10:10 a.m. ET in a gaggle with Jordan Spieth and Cameron Younger.

Justin Rose joins group of leaders in clubhouse

England’s Justin Rose parred each gap on the again 9 to finish a 2-under 69 and put him in a tie for the lead amongst golfers who’ve completed their rounds.

The 2013 U.S. Open champion carded a pair of birdies in his bogey-free spherical. He joins Sweden’s Alex Noren and Norway’s Nicolai Hojgaard because the clubhouse leaders − with six others nonetheless on the course − at 2-under.

Rose, 43, has a number of near-misses in majors over his profession, together with a tie for second behind Francesco Molinari on the 2018 Open Championship at Carnoustie.

Tiger Woods at British Open

Tiger Woods is a three-time winner at The Open, pulling off victories in 2000, 2005 and 2006.

Tiger’s first look at The Open was in 1995, when he completed in a tie for 68^th place. He’s solely appeared on the event as soon as throughout the previous 4 years, and that was in 2022 when he missed the minimize. The final time he made the minimize was in 2018 when he completed in a tie for sixth place at Carnoustie in Scotland.

Woods is ready to play his first two rounds at Royal Troon with PGA champ Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. Their group tees off at 9:37 a.m. ET.

2024 British Open climate forecast

The climate for right this moment’s opening spherical? Typical British Open situations: breezy and moist. Rain early within the morning has given strategy to scattered sprinkles, leaving the greens saturated and pretty sluggish within the early going.

The official forecast requires “outbreaks of rain and drizzle” all through the day with a “reasonable to recent” breeze and temperatures within the 60s. Winds ought to choose up because the afternoon progresses with gusts exceeding 20 mph.

Bryson DeChambeau off to dreadful begin

U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau got here to Scotland flying excessive after his thrilling victory at Pinehurst. Nonetheless, any expectations of a second main title in 2024 have been severely broken by his struggles over the primary six holes at Troon.

DeChambeau bogeyed three of the primary 4 holes − then after an errant drive on the par-5 sixth through which he was unable to advance the ball out of the native grass on his second shot, he needed to hit into an adjoining fairway to also have a shot on the inexperienced. However his troubles weren’t over.

After lacking the inexperienced and pitching to 10 toes, he missed his bogey putt and tapped in for double.

DeChambeau was 5-over by means of his first six holes. Nonetheless, he obtained a measure of redemption on the again 9 with an eagle on the par-5 sixteenth. He ended the day with a 5-over 76.

4-way tie for the lead

Troon confirmed its enamel on gap No. 12 as early chief Justin Thomas hit a wayward drive far left into the gorse and needed to take an unplayable lie. From there, he needed to re-tee after which needed to play his fourth shot from the eleventh fairway.

Thomas was capable of get in place to solely drop one shot, however he missed a 6-foot putt for bogey to fall again right into a tie for the lead with Alex Noren, Justin Rose and Russell Henley at 2-under.

Justin Thomas on high of the early leaderboard

Justin Thomas obtained to the highest of the leaderboard early Thursday with three birdies on holes 7, 8 and 10, together with this magnificence on the “Postage Stamp.” He was 4-under by means of 10. Here is an early have a look at the leaderboard.

Matt Wallace birdies the ‘Postage Stamp’

Wallace obtained to 4-under after his birdie on the eighth, dubbed the “Postage Stamp” due to the small placing floor. In line with the Royal Troon website online: “The tee is on excessive floor and a dropping shot is performed over a gully to a protracted however extraordinarily slim inexperienced set into the aspect of a giant sandhill. Two bunkers defend the left aspect of the inexperienced whereas a big crater bunker shields the method.”

Younghan Track tied for (very early) lead

Younghan Track made the flip at 3-under for a share of the early lead. Track made a spectacular birdie on the No. 8 “Postage Stamp” to get to 4-under. He then three-putted the ninth for bogey and was tied for the lead with Matt Wallace.

Matt Wallace eagles No. 4

Matt Wallace holed out from 85 yards on the par-5 No. 4 for eagle. He landed it simply in need of the pin and it spun again into the outlet. The wonder gave him an early share of the lead at 3-under. Wallace, 34, has one PGA Tour win (2023 Corales Puntacana Championship) and seeks his first main championship.

How one can watch 2024 British Open on TV

The Open can be broadcast stay on NBC and on USA Community, with protection additionally on NBC’s Peacock streaming service. The published schedule is as follows (all occasions Jap):

Spherical 1: Thursday, July 18

1:30 a.m.- 4 a.m.: Peacock
4 a.m.-3 p.m.: USA Community
3 p.m.-4 p.m.: Peacock

How one can stream 2024 British Open

Dwell protection and featured teams may be adopted on the stay stream on Peacock, in addition to Fubo.

2024 British Open leaderboard

Comply with alongside for stay scoring updates from Royal Troon.

British Open first spherical tee occasions

All occasions Jap

1:35 a.m. — Justin Leonard, Todd Hamilton, Jack McDonald

1:46 a.m. — Tom McKibbin, Alex Noren, Calum Scott

1:57 a.m. — Jesper Svensson, Vincent Norrman, Michael Hendry

2:08 a.m. — Younghan Track, Daniel Hillier, Ryosuke Kinoshita

2:19 a.m. — Min Woo Lee, Ryo Hisatsune, Abraham Ancer

2:30 a.m. — Nicolai Hojgaard, Adam Scott, Keita Nakajima

2:41 a.m. — Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose, Jasper Stubbs

2:52 a.m. — Justin Thomas, Sungjae Im, Matthew Southgate

3:03 a.m. — Nick Taylor, Matt Wallace, Laurie Canter

3:14 a.m. — Sebastian Soderberg, Matteo Manassero, Shubhankar Sharma

3:25 a.m. — Zach Johnson, Austin Eckroat, Thorbjorn Olesen

3:36 a.m. — John Daly, Santiago de la Fuente, Aaron Rai

3:47 a.m. — Stewart Cink, Chris Kirk, Dominic Clemons

4:03 a.m. — Stephan Jaeger, Adam Schenk, Joaquin Niemann

4:14 a.m. — Adam Hadwin, Lucas Glover, Christiaan Bezuidenhout

4:25 a.m. — Tony Finau, Russell Henley, Matthieu Pavon

4:36 a.m. — Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre

4:47 a.m. — Ludvig Åberg, Bryson DeChambeau, Tom Kim

4:58 a.m. — Brian Harman, Viktor Hovland, Sahith Theegala

5:09 a.m. — Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Tyrrell Hatton

5:20 a.m. — Keegan Bradley, Will Zalatoris, Gordon Sargent

5:31 a.m. — Harris English, Maverick McNealy, Alexander Bjork

5:42 a.m. — Guido Migliozzi, Sean Crocker, Tommy Morrison

5:53 a.m. — David Puig, John Catlin, Guntaek Koh

6:04 a.m. — Thriston Lawrence, Daniel Bradbury, Elvis Smylie

6:15 a.m. — Nacho Elvira, Minkyu Kim, Darren Fichardt

6:26 a.m. – Mason Andersen, Masahiro Kawamura, Sam Hutsby

6:47 a.m. — Ewen Ferguson, Marcel Siem

6:58 a.m. — CT Pan, Romain Langasque, Yuto Katsuragawa

7:09 a.m. — Rikuya Hoshino, Angel Hidalgo, Richard Mansell

7:20 a.m. — Corey Conners, Ryan Fox, Jorge Campillo

7:31 a.m. — Ernie Els, Gary Woodland, Altin van der Merwe (a)

7:42 a.m. — Henrik Stenson, Rasmus Hojgaard, Jacob Skov Olesen (a)

7:53 a.m. — Louis Oosthuizen, Billy Horschel, Victor Perez

8:04 a.m. — Sepp Straka, Brendon Todd, Jordan Smith

8:15 a.m. — Denny McCarthy, Taylor Moore, Adrian Meronk

8:26 a.m. — Jason Day, Byeong Hun An, Rickie Fowler

8:37 a.m. — Alex Cejka, Eric Cole, Kurt Kitayama

8:48 a.m. — Darren Clarke, JT Poston, Dean Burmester

9:04 a.m. — Phil Mickelson, Joost Luiten, Dustin Johnson

9:15 a.m. — Padraig Harrington, Davis Thompson, Matthew Jordan

9:26 a.m. — Wyndham Clark, Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka

9:37 a.m. — Tiger Woods, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay

9:48 a.m. — Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns, Si Woo Kim

9:59 a.m. — Shane Lowry, Cameron Smith, Matt Fitzpatrick

10:10 a.m. — Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Younger

10:21 a.m. — Akshay Bhatia, Tom Hoge, Sami Valimaki

10:32 a.m. — Emiliano Grillo, Ben Griffin, Mackenzie Hughes

10:43 a.m. — Yannik Paul, Joe Dean, Andy Ogletree

10:54 a.m. — Ryan van Velzen, Charlie Lindh, Luis Masaveu (a)

11:05 a.m. — Kazuma Kobori, Jaime Montojo Fernandez (a), Liam Nolan (a)

11:16 a.m. — Daniel Brown, Denwit David Boriboonsub, Matthew Dodd-Berry (a)

11:27 a.m. — Jeunghun Wang (Kor), Aguri Iwasaki (Jpn), Sam Horsfield

(a) – novice

2024 British Open odds

Scottie Scheffler (+500)
Rory McIlroy (+750)
Ludvig Aberg (+1200)
Bryson DeChambeau (+1400)
Xander Schauffele (+1400)
Collin Morikawa (+1800)
Tommy Fleetwood (+2200)
Jon Rahm (+2500)
Tyrell Hatton (+2500)
Viktor Hovland (+2500)

Who received British Open final 12 months?

American Brian Harman claimed his first profession main by taking part in 4 rounds of constant, regular golf within the soggy situations at Royal Liverpool to win the 2023 British Open by six strokes.

With solely two profession victories on the PGA Tour, Harman entered Sunday’s last spherical with a five-shot lead. He closed with a 1-under 70 as Jon Rahm, Tom Kim, Jason Day and Sepp Straka all tied for second place.