The first day of The Open Championship is one of the highlights of the year, but it also requires some planning for viewers. Due to the time difference and the fact that the entire field starts on the first hole, it turns out to be the longest day in golf. We’re here to assist you.
If you’re on the East Coast and didn’t want to wake up at 1:35 a.m. for Justin Leonard’s tee shot, or if you needed to catch some sleep in California after tuning in at 10:35 p.m. on Wednesday, this guide will keep you updated on all the early highlights from Royal Troon.
Exciting Storylines as the Tournament Begins
The tournament kicks off with plenty of intriguing storylines. Rory McIlroy seeks redemption following his painful finish at the U.S. Open. Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Bryson DeChambeau are all in great shape and aiming for their second major title of the season, while Tiger Woods is competing in The Open for only the third time since 2019.
Tournament Highlights
Leonard’s opening tee shot paid tribute to his 1997 victory at this venue, followed by Todd Hamilton, who won at Troon seven years later. Local favorite Jack McDonald completed the opening trio.
They kicked off the first of 53 groups starting their rounds on the first hole. With every group beginning on No. 1, the last tee time of the day (held by Jeunghun Wang, Aguri Iwasaki, and Sam Horsfield) will take place nearly 10 hours after Leonard’s group. This results in about 15 hours of golf action on both Thursday and Friday.
It’s set to be a long few days of golf in Scotland.
Key Storylines
Tiger at Troon: Tiger Woods has begun his opening round at Royal Troon. The 15-time major champion started with two pars and then made a long birdie putt on the third hole, moving him into red figures.
Performance on the Course
His performance on the back nine was quieter. He managed one birdie and one bogey, finishing with a score of 70, just two strokes behind early leader Justin Thomas.
Weather Conditions
Weather always plays a significant role at The Open, and this week promises to add intrigue.
Thursday’s forecast predicts mostly cloudy skies with occasional rain showers and drizzle. Winds are expected to increase during the day, reaching gusts of up to 25 mph from the south. As usual with Scottish summers, these conditions are subject to change. You can find the full-week forecast here with regular updates throughout the tournament.
Stay tuned here for ongoing updates throughout the opening round of The Open Championship.