TROON, Scotland – Justin Thomas is off to another great start for the second week in a row in Scotland, even if his British Open score doesn’t look that way. He started the first round on Thursday with a 3-under 68, which set an early goal and left him satisfied.
It doesn’t matter that he was 62 years old a week ago Scottish Open. Royal Troon required a lot of work and, with enough rain and wind, calls along the Ayrshire coast showed it was capable of punishing players without warning.
US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau continued to miss par putts and once moved a deep shot from just 4 yards that led to a double bogey. He made 42 on the front nine and was hoping for a short stay in Scotland.
Rory McIlroy, hopeful of bouncing back from his US Open meltdown, made a double bogey on the famous “Postage Stamp” eighth hole and threw a driver out of bounds on the 11th for another double bogey. He was already 5 years old and was disappearing.
Thomas was not immune.
He was one of three players to reach 4 under among the first starters and had the wind at his back on the inside nine at Troon. And then his tee shot fell into a bush that required a penalty drop and he missed a 4-foot putt and made double bogey. His next trip was a wild leap into grass so deep that his caddy shouted to the gallery: “Last call. Has anyone seen the other ball on the right? They finally found it, but it led to the bogeyman.
“A little hiccup at the start of the back nine, but I stayed patient and kept working,” Thomas said.
In fact, Thomas managed to control himself. He avoided another bogey with a 12-foot par putt and finished with a 6- to 8-foot birdie on the 17th and a birdie on the 18th that showed how much the wind was helping – 4-iron off the tee, wedge in 25 feet on the 458-yard final hole.
Justin Rose, who had to pass final qualifying to enter the Open, was equally impressive as he played a bogey-free 69, accompanied by a group that included Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark and Alex Noren, who only qualified through the Scottish Open.
Matt Wallace was one of those at 4 under at the start of his round, only to suffer triple bogey on the ninth hole. He finished at 69, along with Adam Scott.
Justin Leonard, winner of the Royal Troon in 1997, returned for the first time since 2016 and had the honor of the opening shot with the glittering claret jug positioned next to a podium. He had an 80, one of five rounds of 80 or better. That list included John Daly, who bogeyed 8 on the final hole for an 82.
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player, and Tiger Woods were among those who played later in the afternoon. The wind was stronger. The rain was never far away. But it was difficult for everyone.
The back is longer and typically faces strong wind. It went the opposite direction at first and still caused its share of problems.
“I think it’s going to be as easy as possible all week because the ball is moving up in these holes,” Scott said. “The last time I played, it was 2-iron and 3-iron on every hole, and today it was a sand wedge in 15. But trying to figure that out, it was like a practice round – the back nine – for me today.”
Thomas didn’t do much after that 62 to start the Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club, a links style course but not links turf. He didn’t read much into it except to say that he felt he played much better in the 68 he posted at Royal Troon.
Also a forgotten memory was the 82 years he started at Royal Liverpool a year ago. Thomas was in a different situation last year, trying to avoid missing the PGA Tour postseason (he did) while trying to get his game back on track. He still hasn’t won in over two years. But he left Royal Troon with the certainty that he was heading in the right direction.
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