PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – A tightly contested opening round at the 151st British Open saw five players—Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen, China’s Li Haotong, England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout, and America’s Harris English—tied at the top after carding four-under-par 67s at Royal Portrush on Thursday. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler lurked just one stroke behind, while local favorite Rory McIlroy battled inconsistency in a rollercoaster 70.
Challenging Conditions Test Players
Early sunshine gave way to heavy rain and gusting winds, making scoring difficult on the Dunluce Links. Olesen, ranked 354th in the world, provided one of the day’s highlights with a 40-foot birdie putt on the tough opening hole and an eagle at the 12th, though a bogey on the last marred his otherwise stellar round. “Annoyed to finish with a bogey, but it happens,” the Dane shrugged. Li Haotong, who finished third in 2017, impressed with a bogey-free round, calling the conditions “brutal.”
Fitzpatrick, English Shine in Balanced Attack
Fitzpatrick, the 2022 U.S. Open champion, eagled the par-5 second hole en route to his 67, crediting sharp all-around play. “Drove it well, approach play was good—just a solid day,” he said. English joined the leaders with steady golf, while Bezuidenhout’s precision kept him in contention. Meanwhile, McIlroy’s hopes of a dream homecoming suffered after a bogey-bogey start and late back-nine struggles.
Scheffler Lurks as Weather Looms Large
With Scheffler just one back and major winners like Fitzpatrick in the mix, the leaderboard sets up a compelling second round. Forecasts suggest more wind and rain, which could further separate the field. As Olesen noted, “Every shot out here is a battle.” The Open’s notorious volatility ensures nothing is settled yet—least of all the Claret Jug.