TRON, Scotland — Unpredictable winds and a hard surface at Royal Troon Golf Club brought many of the world's top golfers to their knees, but a lesser-known English qualifier took the lead during the first round of the 152nd British Open on Thursday.
Daniel Brown, who had missed the cut or retired seven times in his past eight DP World Tour events, birdied two of his final three holes to finish with a 6-under 65. He leads 2019 British Open champion Shane Lowry of Ireland by one shot and two-time major champion Justin Thomas by three shots.
PGA Championship champion Xander Schauffele was one of seven golfers four shots back, two under.
Brown has played links golf since he was a kid, but he never loved it — until now.
“I used to hate golf,” Brown said. “As an amateur, obviously you play golf all the time and you get a little bored when you don't hit the ball well, and sometimes you end up in a bunker, and that's just the way it is. But I've found that since I haven't played links golf as much, I enjoy it more. I like the challenge, the wind and the firm surfaces more.”
Here are the matches to watch for Friday in the second round of the British Open:
What can Brown do?
The 29-year-old is one of the least likely players in major championship history to lead in the first round. Not only is Brown playing in his first major, but he is also ranked No. 272 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
He finished 61st at last week's Genesis Scottish Open, his first time playing all four rounds in a tournament since March 10, when he tied for 23rd at the Jonsson Workwear Open in South Africa.
Brown, from Northallerton, England, has one career win on the DP World Tour at the 2023 ISPS Handa World Invitational, beating Alex Fitzpatrick (Matt’s brother) by five shots.
Brown holed a 20-foot putt on the final hole of a 36-hole qualifying tournament at West Lancashire Golf Club in Liverpool, England, on July 2 to qualify for the British Open. He was sidelined for seven weeks earlier this year with a knee injury.
Whatever the cause of Brown's illness, he found a solution Thursday when he played a bogey-free round and made a 34.5-foot birdie putt on the 10th, a 42-foot birdie putt on the 11th, a 13-foot birdie putt on the 16th and an 8-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
“I have [slept with a lead] In the past, but probably like two or three years ago,” Brown said. “I know there’s 54 holes left. It’s still a long way to go. I don’t think I’ll have any sleepless nights tonight after finishing this late.”
Brown ranked first in total strokes gained (9.45) and strokes gained off the tee (3.50) and second in putting (4.49).
Brown's brother Ben is caddying for him this week. Daniel won the British Amateur in 2016; Ben followed in his footsteps seven years later.
“He’s been hurt a little bit lately so he hasn’t been playing much,” Daniel Brown said. “I love having him play. He’s great at reading greens and obviously a good golfer himself so he can give great advice. It’s been great to be able to play with him and share my first major championship.”
Brown became the first male golfer to shoot a bogey-free 65 or better in his first major championship.
Will things get easier for Royal Troon?
The change in wind direction confused many golfers, who expected gusts on the front nine and then gusted in their faces as they returned to the clubhouse. But when the opposite happened, many players had a hard time adjusting their game plans.
The toughest hole on the course on Thursday was the par-4 12th, with an average score of 4.40. There were 9 birdies, 92 pars, 44 bogeys, 7 double bogeys and 4 other bogeys. Ben Griffin shot an 8 on the 450-yard dogleg right hole.
The rain and wind made life difficult for many people.
“It's tough. Really tough,” said defending British Open champion Brian Harman, who shot a 2-over 73 in the first round. “It's a brutal, tough golf course.”
1:20
Why the British Open's 8th hole is 'terrible'
British Open golfers are ready for the challenge of the 8th hole at Royal Troon.
Only two holes on the course had cumulative scores under par: the par-5 16th (4.87) and the par-4 18th (3.97). The par-4 9th had only one birdie, made by Alex Noren.
“Well, it’s pretty tough if you ask me,” said Cameron Smith, the 2022 St. Andrews Open champion, who shot a 9-over 80. “If you asked Sean, it might be a little different.
“No, it was tough, man. There was a lot of crosswind. It was hard to keep your ball in the fairway, and when you're in the rough, you're just guessing whether you can hit it short based on the bounce. It was brutal. It was a really good test of golf, and you need to play A+ to shoot under par, and I saw it firsthand. [Lowry] Well played.”
Work to be done
In June, U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and runner-up Rory McIlroy faced off at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.
It wasn’t long before they were irrelevant at the British Open. McIlroy shot a 7-over 78, his third-worst score in a major. He was 8 over through the first 18 holes at Muirfield Golf Club in Scotland in 2013 and at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland in 2019.
McIlroy's late collapse at Pinehurst No. 2 — he missed two short putts in the final three holes to help DeChambeau win his second U.S. Open — will extend his major championship drought for more than a decade unless a miracle happens.
“I mean, I just have to focus on tomorrow and try to make the cut,” McIlroy said. “That's all I can focus on.”
DeChambeau finished just two shots ahead of his opponent at 5-over 76. DeChambeau said he was not prepared for the change in wind direction and tried to hook the ball but, in hindsight, should have chipped it out.
1:16
Rory McIlroy reflects on 'tough' first round
Rory McIlroy attributed his 7-over score in the first round of the Open to wind and course conditions.
“I’m going to figure it out,” DeChambeau said. “It’s something with the equipment. I haven’t hit 190 yet. [mph] Ball speed, especially when I hit it with a driver or a 3-wood, those clubs are designed for that speed, and my 3-wood is about 180. [mph]. so [in] In cooler, firmer conditions, the golf ball won’t compress as much.”
They weren't the only high-profile golfers to get into trouble at Royal Troon on Thursday as winds howled off the Firth of Clyde.
Golfers who will need to continue training on Friday but will not play over the weekend include: Viktor Hovland (4-over), Sam Burns (5-over), Tom Kim (5-over), Max Homa (5-over), Will Zalatoris (5-over), Tommy Fleetwood (5-over), Sahith Theegala (6-over), Wyndham Clark (7-over), Rickie Fowler (8-over) and Tiger Woods (8-over).
Will it rain again?
The weather forecast for Troon is looking much better – at least for a day. Light rain is possible Friday morning, with clearing skies in the afternoon. Winds are expected to be out of the south or southwest again at 9 to 12 mph, with stronger gusts possible late morning at 22 to 27 mph.
If the wind doesn’t change, golfers will face the same test as Thursday — playing into the wind on the front nine and against the wind on the back nine.
“You know the wind's going to pick up,” Koepka said. “I don't know what the weather is going to be like for the rest of the week. I haven't even looked yet. If I remember correctly, I think it's a weird wind direction, isn't it? I don't know if the wind direction is going to change, but I know [going] Playing the last nine holes into the wind is going to be difficult.”
Although the Bureau of Meteorology said it had “medium to low confidence” in Saturday's forecast, the situation was not looking good. “Rainfall is likely to be longer” and “heavy rainfall is likely at times”.
The good news for the sector: Winds are expected to ease, with highs around 64 degrees.
The weather forecast for Sunday's finale looks better, with the possibility of a “drier, sunnier day” with occasional showers. Southwest winds could gust to 20 mph again.