British Open first round leaderboard, live updates: Shane Lowry grabs lead, Tiger Woods stumbles at Royal Troon
The British Open is off and running at Royal Troon.
The final major championship of the year teed off on Thursday morning in Scotland, where it’s expected to be cold, windy and rainy throughout the week. While top-ranked Scottie Scheffler is the overwhelming favorite, there are plenty of others who can make a run at the Claret Jug come Sunday afternoon. Though Justin Thomas — who is winless since his win at the PGA Championship in 2022 — took the early lead, both Shane Lowry and Daniel Brown surpassed him in the afternoon wave.
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Live53 updates
Tiger finishes with a 79
Well, that’s back-to-back bogeys for Tiger Woods to close out his day. He’s finished with an 8-over 79.
Woods will need a huge round on Friday in order to see the weekend, something he’s seen only once so far in 2024.
Click the photo to read about Tiger Woods’ opening round at the British Open. (Photo by Glyn Kirk/AFP)
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 4:09 PM EDT
Daniel Brown back in the lead
Daniel Brown is back to 5-under after a clutch birdie at the par-5 16th. If he can card a birdie in his final two holes, he’ll be the overnight leader at Royal Troon.
Meet Daniel Brown, the man who sits solo second @TheOpen:
🏴 29-year-old Englishman 📊 Ranked 273rd in Official World Golf Ranking 🏆 Won on @DPWorldTour in 2023 3️⃣ Making third career PGA TOUR start 📈 Made cut last week @ScottishOpen 💪 Had a successful amateur career winning… pic.twitter.com/lfnk0aGP9w
Well that would’ve been a ridiculous finish for Scottie Scheffler. That late birdie brought him to 1-under on the week
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 3:12 PM EDT
Shane Lowry takes solo lead
Now that’s the perfect finish for Shane Lowry. He posted a bogey-free 66, including a birdie at the 18th, to grab the solo lead at 5-under as he enters the clubhouse.
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 3:11 PM EDT
Jordan Spieth’s late eagle
Here comes Jordan Spieth!
Though he’s bookended with with a pair of bogeys and is still at even par, Jordan Spieth just sank a huge eagle at the par-5 16th.
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 2:32 PM EDT
Daniel Brown joins Shane Lowry at 4-under
After carding back-to-back birdies at the turn, Daniel Brown has now joined Shane Lowry in the lead. Brown, who entered the week at No. 272 in the OWGR, picked up his first DP World Tour win last fall.
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 2:20 PM EDT
Tiger’s stellar up-and-down save
Tiger Woods played this one perfectly from the deep greenside bunker to save his par. Unfortunately, he’s still at 6-over on the day as he heads to the 17th tee.
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 1:54 PM EDT
Shane Lowry’s putter is on fire
This is a huge reason why Shane Lowry is holding onto his lead. He sank an 11-footer for par at the 12th, and a nearly 24-footer to save his par at the 10th.
Shane Lowry has made five par putts of at least 6 feet in his round so far.
One hop and in! Dean Burmester with an all-time dunk eagle from a pot bunker at the 16th.
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 1:17 PM EDT
Shane Lowry, solo leader
“Right in the front door.”
Shane Lowry just drained a 20-footer for birdie at the 11th, and he’s now alone atop the leaderboard at 4-under on the day.
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 1:13 PM EDT
Tiger now 10 back
Tiger Woods’ day isn’t getting any better. He just carded his second straight birdie on the back nine after sending his approach way left of the green on the par-4 12th. He’s at 7-over on the day now, which is a full 10 shots back of the leaders.
It’s looking like another short week for Woods.
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 1:08 PM EDT
Rory, Bryson struggle early
After their wild battle in North Carolina last month, neither Bryson DeChambeau nor Rory McIlroy played well this morning at Royal Troon. DeChambeau carded a 5-over 76, and McIlroy finished at 7-over.
Click the photo to read more about their rough start in Scotland.
Click the photo to read more about Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy’s rough starts in Scotland. (Warren Little/Getty Images)
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 12:56 PM EDT
Welcome to the lead, Xander Schauffele
The 2024 PGA Championship winner is now at the top of the yellow leaderboard at the British Open. With a birdie on the par-5 11th, the Railway Hole, Schauffele connected on a long put to join Shane Lowry and Justin Thomas at 3-under.
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 12:51 PM EDT
No. 6 at Royal Troon this year is the longest hole in British Open history
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 12:50 PM EDT
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 12:26 PM EDT
Shane Lowry grabs a share of the lead
The 2019 British Open champion got the 3-under thru 8 after a birdie at the Postage Stamp. Lowry is bogey-free on the day to this point with birdies on 4, 7 and 8. He took home the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush five years ago, and is off to a good start as he tries to win it again.
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 12:17 PM EDT
Brooks has been so solid in today’s first round
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 12:05 PM EDT
Morikawa blows up on 8
The Postage Stamp has been nothing short of entertaining, and that’s going in all directions, from Patrick Cantlay’s great birdie out of the sand (see below) to Collin Morikawa’s double bogey odyssey. He missed the green, and then came up short with a chip that rolled into the bunker. Then, he couldn’t get out of the trap in just one shot, and he wound up making a 5 on the 118-yard par 3. One of the most famous holes in golf is turning out to be one of the wildest today.
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 11:52 AM EDT
Cantlay holes out from the sand at the ‘Postage Stamp’
How good is this from Patrick Cantlay? Looked like a 2 all the way. 🐥
Thu, July 18, 2024 at 11:50 AM EDT
Tiger now at +4
After getting to 1-under thru 3 holes, Tiger Woods has found trouble throughout the rest of the front 9, playing holes 4 through 8 in 5-over. Woods has been missing greens and has had a couple of wobbles on the putting green as well, with a couple of three-putts adding to his inflated score early.
