TROON, Scotland — Scottie Scheffler has won six times already this year, including the Masters Championship and the Players Championship.
It’s not out of the question that he could win his seventh title and his second major championship.
Scheffler shot 70 in the first round of the British Open on Thursday at Royal Troon and is one under par.
This comes after taking three weeks of rest following his latest win at Travelers last month.
“I feel like I settled in pretty quickly,” he said. “After Travelers, obviously it was a nice win, so it was nice to go home and relax and celebrate a little bit. I tried to practice a little bit that week, but then I had some time off, so obviously I didn’t practice much. I had a good practice last week before going there.”
Defending Open champion Brian Harman shot a 2-over 72 on Thursday.
“It’s really tough,” Herman said. “It feels like it’s back to the same as last year. It’s brutal. It’s a tough golf course.”
Herman said he thinks last year’s win helped him handle the tough conditions on Thursday.
“It definitely gave me more confidence,” he said, “It made me a little less nervous, not as nervous, and more in the running to win. It gave me the knowledge that if everything goes right and I play really well, I can come away with a big win.”
Henrik Stenson, who won the last British Open at Troon in 2016, shot 76.
Phil Mickelson, who Stenson beat in an epic duel that year, birdied the 18th hole and finished with a 73.
Tom Hogue shot a three-over 74 despite a nine on the par-four 11th hole.
Scottish pride Robert McIntyre won the Scottish Open on Sunday, firing a one-over 71 and leaving the venue pleased after days of partying to celebrate his national championship win.
“I thought it was pretty much perfect,” he said. “My putting wasn’t great today, but I thought it was great from tee to green.”
McIntyre played just 18 holes at Troon before the tournament to conserve his energy after a big week last week.
“Obviously my preparation wasn’t great, but putting that aside,” he said, “but the way I swung the golf club, the way I moved the ball through the air, the way I fought the wind, I thought it was close to perfect today.”
“You just take your chances for Sunday. It’s not, ‘Can I win today? Can I win Friday? Can I win Saturday?’ But you play the way you do and you don’t win. I thought 1 over par today was a good round of golf and I’m still in the running.”
