2025 Open Championship: First Round Highlights
The opening round of the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush challenged the 156-player field with fluctuating weather, showcasing the strength of this Northern Ireland course. By the end of the day, 31 players managed to post scores under par, but the top score rested at just 4 under, indicating the difficulty faced on a demanding Thursday.
Five players share the lead, with Matt Fitzpatrick, Harris English, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Haotong Li, and Jacob Skov Olesen all carding 67s, marking the best rounds of the day. For Fitzpatrick, this performance is significant, as it’s the first time he’s met the high expectations set during his youth at The Open. Despite having an impressive amateur record in 2013, he had yet to finish better than T20 in previous Opens.
Fitzpatrick entered this year’s tournament in commendable form and made a strong start with an eagle on the second hole, suffering only one bogey on the third. He maintained his composure throughout the round, demonstrating remarkable recovery skills, notably with a dramatic chip-in on the 16th hole.
In pursuit of Fitzpatrick and the leaders are three pre-tournament favorites: Scottie Scheffler (-3), Rory McIlroy, and Jon Rahm (-1), all finishing the round in red figures and remaining competitive. Scheffler’s performance was characterized by strategic play, managing to recover from erratic drives with exceptional iron shots to secure birdies on the 16th and 17th holes.
Rahm began solidly with a 2 under front nine but faced back-to-back bogeys that brought him back to even. However, he steadied himself to finish with a birdie, positioning himself within reach of his first Claret Jug. McIlroy, on the other hand, experienced a more erratic round, battling nerves yet recovering from a shaky start to make four birdies, before some late bogeys brought him back to even.
While McIlroy’s round was tumultuous, he noted the importance of managing expectations, especially in his home country. Despite missing fairways—hitting only three of 14—he capitalized on opportunities when his lies were favorable, demonstrating resilience necessary to stay within contention.
Current Leaderboard Overview
T1. Matt Fitzpatrick, Harris English, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Haotong Li, Jacob Skov Olesen (-4): Fitzpatrick and English bring considerable experience as they lead, while Li has prior success in The Open. The others must deliver strong successive rounds to maintain their positions.
T6. Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton, Matthew Jordan, Sadom Kaewkanjana (-3): Scheffler has bolstered his status as a leading contender. Hatton, Jordan, and Kaewkanjana all had solid rounds, making them notable threats as the tournament progresses.
T10. Rickie Fowler, Lee Westwood, Brian Harman, Justin Rose, and six others (-2): Veteran players shone on Thursday, with Westwood and Rose turning back the clock, while others like Mickelson and Garcia posted solid rounds, highlighting the competitiveness of seasoned golfers.
T20. Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry, Phil Mickelson, Joaquin Niemann, and eight others (-1): McIlroy managed to navigate the emotional pressures better than in past tournaments, putting him in range for a strong weekend along with Rahm and Lowry, who also displayed capabilities for improvement.
