GOLF – DEBUTANT Jackson Suber led the British Open with a stunning five-under opening round of 65 yesterday as fellow Americans, reigning champion Scottie Scheffler and big-hitting Bryson DeChambeau, made their mark.
England’s Dan Brown and South Korea’s Im Sung-jae had shared the clubhouse lead after early rounds of 66 at a scorched Royal Birkdale before Suber moved top of the leaderboard.
Scheffler, bidding to become the first man since Ireland’s Padraig Harrington in 2008 to retain the Claret Jug, carded a two-under 68 with DeChambeau a stroke better off.
World number two Rory McIlroy gave his fans some belated cheer with a birdie on the 18th as the sun set but looked out of sorts for a scruffy 72.
Before Monday, Tampa-born Suber had only seen Royal Birkdale on YouTube videos. But he played it like an old hand.
He already had six birdies, mixed with three bogeys, on his card before his most memorable moment arrived on the par-five 17th where a stunning second shot from 230 yards set up an eagle, one of only a handful in the first round.
Only Craig Stadler in 1983 has shot a lower opening round than Suber at Royal Birkdale, carding a 64.
“This was only my fifth day ever in Europe! So I’m definitely learning the links course,” Suber said. “I settled a little more on the back nine, and felt more comfortable.
“The challenge is good. You can hit great shots that don’t end up well, and bad shots that end up great. It’s very cool where the ball can go.”
Brown and Im took advantage of ideal scoring conditions early on in the seventh group out before a stiff breeze kicked in off the Irish Sea.
Puffing regularly on cigarettes and making doubly sure to dispose of them carefully in the tinder-dry conditions, Brown made only eight pars in an up-and-down round, with seven birdies, including a superb up-and-down at the 17th.
“Hopefully I’ll be kicking around at the weekend in the later groups,” Brown, who led after the first round at Royal Troon in 2024, said.
World number one Scheffler began as he finished last year at Royal Portrush – making it look all too easy.
He rolled in four birdies in his opening six holes but a bogey at the seventh stunted his progress and then a few putts refused to drop. He missed a short par putt on the 17th after a wayward approach left his ball sunken down.
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