The first round of the Open Championship was a showcase of “brutal” links conditions as changing winds at Royal Troon confounded the best players in the world.
Only 17 players managed to shoot under par on a wet and windy day one, with Royal Troon playing like a completely different course than it did during the practice rounds.
“It made me think all day because I haven't played that wind this week, and really I was picking clubs for the first time off every tee today,” said Adam Scott, who was one of the few to go low on Thursday with a one-under 70. “I hit very different clubs than I did in any practice rounds.”
Earlier in the week, Troon played with a strong wind off the back on the first six holes, before the course – and the wind – flipped on the seventh.
However, the wind didn’t go to plan for many players today, with the first six holes being into the wind instead and playing a lot longer.
“Tuesday: different wind. Wednesday: different wind. Today: a different wind,” said Alex Noren, who put himself in contention with a two-under 69.
Robert MacIntyre, who battled to a one-over 72 in his first round, said starting with a strong wind in his face immediately put him in “fighting” mode.
“The wind, I think a lot of guys had game plans to just send driver the first few holes and to pitch up there today,” he said. “When it’s straight back into the wind it kind of switches you back into fighting, and it’s difficult.”
Xander Schauffele, who carded a 69 to sit in a tie for fourth, added: “Hitting driver on 1 in the practice round wasn't really great prep for today. But that's just kind of how links golf is, and that's the beauty of it.”
England’s Daniel Brown led the way in the end with a superb bogey-free, six-under 65, while Shane Lowry was a shot behind at five-under.
Lowry said coming to Royal Troon two weeks ago helped him see the course “in every wind possible”.
“It did change a lot because we played the front nine down and the back nine into the wind in all our practice rounds. But fortunately enough I came here two weeks ago and I played this wind on the second day that I played here. I saw the golf course in every wind possible I could see it.
“Yeah, I guess that was a good thing to do, and it's out there paying off a little bit today.”
But going low proved to be an anomaly on day one, as Lowry’s playing partner Cam Smith attested.
“Well, it was really hard if you ask me. If you ask Shane, it would probably be a different story. No, it's hard, mate. A lot of crosswinds. Hard to keep your ball in the fairway, and when you're in the rough, you're kind of guessing with landing something short with the bounces you get.
“It was brutal. It really was a good test of golf, and you needed to be on your A+ game to shoot under par, and I witnessed it. He played good.”
Unfortunately for the Smith and everyone else, it doesn’t look like Royal Troon will get any easier, with more rain and wind expected this week.
