McIlroy, DeChambeau Among Rough Starts at The Open Championship

While we can usually expect pleasant scoring conditions at the Masters and difficult ones at the U.S. Open, the Open Championship is traditionally a mixed bag.

Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau were two big names who found that out in the worst way.

After winds blowing from the northwest all week, the winds shifted nearly 180 degrees for round 1, going to the south and southeast. Experts say it added around 10-15 mph worth of winds that players had to cut through on the front nine at Royal Troon.

Earlier in the week, U.S. Open champ Bryson DeChambeau said that the back nine worried him, but it was the opening set of holes that did him in today.

The commentary team did not expect Bryson to miss this putt ☠️ pic.twitter.com/nIoXyzfW03

— Siciliano (@MikeSiciliano7) July 18, 2024

DeChambeau was at +6 after a 42 on the front nine Thursday. He settled down to finish the back nine under par to close at a plus-5 75. That’s good for 95^th at the moment, and he’ll likely need to gain at least two strokes tomorrow to reach the weekend.

Meantime, another major disappointment is staring Rory McIlroy in the face. The U.S. Open runner-up was at even par before going +5 over a four-hole stretch from Nos. 8-11. Two more bogeys late left him with a 78 on the card and tied for 129^th.

Rory and Bryson at the last major: Beat everyone in the world.
Rory and Bryson at this major: Combined +11 through ~13 holes.

Golf is insane.

— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) July 18, 2024

For Justin Rose, who was in second place at -2 as Thursday’s first round wound down, the conditions were a welcome change.

Rose said:

“I think today is great. I think, what is it, 12 to 15 miles an hour? That’s kind of the edge where you’re in control of the golf ball, and the elements aren’t in control, and I think that’s a nice way to play. I think when it gets more than that, the elements dictate a little bit more than the player dictates, and I think that’s where it just becomes, OK, just hang in, hang tough, see what happens.”

In early play, Justin Thomas leads the way with a 3-under 68.

Cover Image via GB News