Cameron Smith survives gruelling start as Scottie Scheffler shines at British Open with Rory McIlroy looming
Cameron Smith gave himself “a bit of a talking to” to keep it together in the first round of The Open, while world No.1 Scottie Scheffler made a fine start and Rory McIlroy stayed in the hunt.
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Cameron Smith took a massive step to ending his run of missed cuts at the majors after a mid-round pep talk as golf’s glacial pace of play was again in the spotlight on a difficult day for the Australian contingent.
As rounds stretched to torturous times in the difficult conditions – Northern Ireland’s hero Rory McIlroy (-1) played in a group which took almost six hours to complete 18 holes – Smith and Adam Scott were the best of the Australians to start The Open.
Former world No.2 Smith, who hasn’t made the weekend in his last four majors, battled to a one-over 72 at Royal Portrush on Thursday night (AEST).
He was joined by Scott later in the day, trailing a quintet of leaders by five shots as world No.1 Scottie Scheffler lurked.
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It still means Smith has another fight during his second round to make the cut after disappointing showings at the Masters, PGA Championship and US Open already this year.
But a rare birdie on the par-three beast dubbed “Calamity Corner” lifted his hopes late in his round.
Having dropped a shot on his very first hole after an ugly mishit into thick scrub off the tee which didn’t even reach the start of the fairway, the 31-year-old fought back with a couple of birdies, but was left to rue a double bogey on the ninth.
Yet the turning point came on the 205-metre 16th, which has a deep ravine to swallow any ball slightly short or right from the tee. Smith rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt.
“It could have really got away from me, I think,” Smith said. “I hung in there nicely and committed to some swings, which I’ve been doing the last few times out. I gave myself a bit of a talking to through nine.”
What did it involve?
“I can’t say,” he smiled.
READ MORE: 8pm on the 18th hole: Smith’s last minute session to end major funk
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The top 70 and ties will make the cut at Royal Portrush, and it will be a hard ask for many of Smith’s compatriots with Jason Day (+2), Marc Leishman (+2), Min Woo Lee (+3), Lucas Herbert (+3), Elvis Smylie (+4) and Ryan Peake (+6) all outside the cut line as it stands.
Leishman was one of several players to raise concerns about the pace of play, adding to his frustration after a three-putt bogey on the last.
“Felt like we were on the golf course for about 12 hours,” Leishman quipped.
“We’d been on the course for three hours through eight holes. That was tough to deal with, especially coming from somewhere (LIV Golf) where we play in under four-and-a-half (hours for 18 holes) every week.”
Day’s group was given a warning by officials and things didn’t get much better as the afternoon went on, with Lee’s threesome sinking their final putt five hours and 50 minutes after teeing off.
Golf’s major tours have promised a concerted effort to speed up the pace of play, but the world’s most historic tournament was dragged down on the first day by lengthy delays on tee boxes.
Like Leishman, Scott signed for a deflating bogey on the last after a stray tee shot, but hopes to quickly climb the leaderboard when out early in the second round.
“They’ve shown us today they’re willing to put a few salty pins out there as well which were kind of hidden behind slopes,” Scott said. “You’re only going to get so many good looks a day.
“But the good news is I made a few putts today. That feels good. I’d like to hit a little better off the tee if I can and then hopefully all that adds up to a pretty stress-free mid-60s.”
Said Day: “The weather here is the craziest weather pattern I’ve ever experienced in my life. There’s no consistency to it whatsoever. I’d love to be a weatherman here. You just get it wrong all the time.
“Other than that, I really enjoyed playing golf.”
Former bikie Peake capped one of the most remarkable sporting stories of the year when he hit his opening tee shot at Royal Portrush, playing the sport’s historic championship after spending five years in prison earlier in his life for a serious assault.
Peake – who has owned and been transparent about his past – played alongside Phil Mickelson (E) during the first round.
Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen, China’s Haotong Li, South Africa’s Christian Bezuidenhout, England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and America’s Harris English shared the lead at four-under after the first round, with three-time major winner Scheffler a shot further back with a 68.
SCHEFFLER MAKES BRIGHT START, MCILROY THREE SHOTS BACK
World number one Scottie Scheffler made a fine start to the British Open to sit three under par at a rain-swept Royal Portrush as home favourite Rory McIlroy was roared on during a rollercoaster one-under par round.
Former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, China’s Li Haotong, Dane Jacob Skov Olesen, South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout and American Harris English hold the clubhouse lead at four under par.
Scheffler, though, is well-placed to launch his challenge for a fourth major and a first Claret Jug despite a series of wayward tee shots.
The American hit just three fairways but still produced one of the best rounds of the day thanks to his brilliant approach play.
“When it’s raining sideways, it’s actually, believe it or not, not that easy to get the ball in the fairway. Thank you guys all for pointing that out,” he told reporters.
Scheffler raised eyebrows with his pre-tournament comments that his is “not a fulfilling life” due to his relentless quest for more success.
He battled his way through the first 15 holes at one under thanks to birdies at the third, seventh and 10th before finding his touch with another birdie at the “Calamity Corner” 16th and nearly holing an approach for eagle at the 17th.
McIlroy is the star attraction for the close to 280,000 spectators set to attend the four days of play at the final major of the year.
The Northern Irishman was determined to make amends for his disastrous start at Portrush six years ago when a quadruple bogey at the opening hole, on his way to a first-round 79, saw him miss the cut.
McIlroy is nine shots better off this time after day one, but was ragged off the tee to see a potentially brilliant start blown off course in the windy conditions.
After showing signs of nerves with an opening hole bogey, the Masters champion looked in the groove as birdies at the second, fifth, seventh and 10th took him to three under.
However, the world number two finally began to pay the price for a series of hooks to the left with three bogeys in four holes, including the par-five 12th, between the 11th and 14th.
The 36-year-old, who set the course record at Portrush with a 61 20 years ago, steadied the ship by picking up a shot at 17 to finish with a 70.
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