The first round of the British Open saw a wide variety of scores. Shane Lowry shot a respectable 5-under 66 in tough conditions. Justin Thomas was 3-under, while many other players finished in the high 70s.
The afternoon group had much better weather than the morning group, but American golf fans who woke up at dawn appreciated the tough conditions.
The wind and rain were terrible, and fans acknowledged that, with many hoping the weather would cause more damage because it’s relatable to watch a professional golfer struggle.
The Scottish coast is notoriously temperamental in its weather, so this week was always going to be tough.
Rory McIlroy finished with a seven-over 78 and Bryson DeChambeau finished with a five-over 76. Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Oberg finished with four-over 75. There were a lot of high scores on Thursday, but here are some of the most notable ones. Best response The weather helped us win the first round.
The British Open makes the best players in the world look like amateurs! The course is a monster and the weather conditions are less than ideal.
The weather looks a little better tomorrow, but for now Saturday and Sunday are the issues.
— DFS Rocks (@DFSLocksX) July 18, 2024
As X-user Nate Dawg says, the atmosphere is like no other: While US tournaments are weather dependent, nothing compares to the British Open.
Mark, the British Open is very difficult to predict because of the weather and the draw. There have already been big casualties today, but I think things will be much better tomorrow once the action is over. It’s not like predicting the winner of the Masters on a good day.
— Simon Lester (@SimonLester24) July 18, 2024
Royal Troon touts a length of 7,385 yards, but wind and unusual conditions make it feel much longer, forcing players to calculate distance and club usage for nearly every shot from tee to green.
I love the Open, and even though it’s a 7,000-yard course, depending on the weather, it can play like it’s 10,000 yards.
— El Duderino (@tfmadden17) July 18, 2024
Friday’s round will probably be the best day of the week weather-wise, but will still present some issues. The weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday looks like it’s going to be a real problem for those players who can get through the forecast, so be prepared for more chaos and entertainment.
Savannah Lee Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow us for more golf articles. Follow You can follow us on all major social platforms. You can also follow us on Twitter Follow Her Instagram account is @golf_girl_sl.
