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Another round in a major championship, another night when the South African Louis Oosthuizen folded as the leader.
Oosthuizen took advantage of more friendly than expected conditions at the Royal St. George in the first round of the Open on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead with a 6-under-64.
Will Oosthuizen finally close the deal this weekend and win his second major? Will the winds blow harder off the English Channel? Will Bryson DeChambeau criticize his putter?
Here’s what to expect in the second round:
Bryson’s explosion
After a 6 of 77 close last month at the US Open, which included an 8 of 44 over the last nine, DeChambeau swept it off like nothing more than bad breaks and the ball not bouncing the right way. .
Two weeks later, he parted ways with longtime caddy Tim Tucker the day before the Rocket Mortgage Classic kicked off in Detroit.
And now, after touching just four of 14 fairways at Royal St. George’s in Thursday’s first round, which led to DeChambeau posting a 1 in 71, it was his driver Cobra’s fault.
“That’s what I said a few days ago; if I can hit him in the middle of the fairway that’s great, but with the driver right now the driver sucks,” he said. told reporters on Thursday. “That’s not a good face to me, and we’re still trying to figure out how to do it right on misfires. I live on a razor’s edge, like I’ve told people for a long time.”
It didn’t suit the people at Cobra Golf.
“It’s really, really painful when he says something so stupid,” Ben Schomin, director of tour operations for Cobra Golf, told Golfweek. “He’s never really been happy, ever. Like, it’s very rare when he’s happy.”
Here’s an idea for DeChambeau: don’t hit it, or better yet, don’t hit the driver on the holes where you might not need it.
DeChambeau’s driving precision was tied for second in the first lap; New Zealander Ryan Fox only touched three of the 14 fairways.
Hours after making the comments, DeChambeau apologized on Instagram.
Who can’t wait for Brooks Koepka to show up on the first tee with a Cobra rider on Friday?
Jordan’s big game
The resurgence of Jordan Spieth has been one of the best stories in golf this summer. After going almost four years without a win, he finally won the Valero Texas Open again in April. Then he finished third at the Masters and finished second in solo at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
As good as Spieth is over the past six months, it still looks like his comeback won’t be complete until the three-time major champion wins another.
Thursday’s opening round 65 was a good start. For the third time in a major, Spieth opened with a 65 or better. He ended up winning the previous two times – with a 64 at the 2015 Masters and a 65 at the Royal Birkdale Open in 2017.
According to research from ESPN Stats & Information, Spieth is among four players to shoot 65 or better in the first three rounds of a major tournament. Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Raymond Floyd are the others.
“To be honest, the path I’m on and where I’ve been in the game before, I feel really good about my chances of moving forward, as good as they’ve been historically,” Spieth said. “As far as I’m surprised or not, I guess I feel like I’ve been following the right trend and certainly had a chance this year at Augusta before. I made mistakes at first and in the second round that I shouldn’t have I could very well have won this golf tournament this year. “
Spieth certainly didn’t make a lot of mistakes on Thursday. He hit nine of 14 fairways, 14 of 18 regulation greens and only needed 27 putts. He rose to the betting favorite to win the Open at +400, according to Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill.
Louis … again
For the fourth time this year, Oosthuizen leads the standings in a major tournament. He shared the 36-hole lead at the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island and the 18- and 54-hole leads at the US Open. Of course, Oosthuizen didn’t win either of those tournaments, losing to Phil Mickelson by 2 strokes at the PGA and to Jon Rahm by 1 stroke at the US Open.
Only three players – Dustin Johnson (2015), Tom Watson (1978) and Harry Cooper (1936) – led at least four rounds in a major tournament in a single year and won none.
At the very least, Oosthuizen, the 2010 St. Andrews Open winner, has shown an incredible ability to put big disappointments in the rearview mirror.
“Yes, it depends if you lost it or if someone else beat you,” Oosthuizen said. “I think in both cases I was beaten by better golf in the end. It takes a little while, but you have to get over it quickly or it will stop you from playing again.”
Cooking at home
No Englishman has won the Open on English soil since Tony Jacklin at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 1969.
Five Englishmen – Tommy Fleetwood, Andy Sullivan, Danny Willett, Jack Senior and Justin Rose – are tied for ninth at 3 strokes behind Oosthuizen. Paul Casey is 1 shot behind them after opening with 2 under 68.
“The first round of the Open you can only lose on day one,” said Fleetwood, who finished second in solo at the Royal Portrush Open in 2019, 6 strokes behind winner Shane Lowry. “You can’t win it. It’s just nice to have pulled a good trick and to go ahead and move on to [Friday’s second round]. “
Lee Westwood, who is trying to win his first major tournament in his 88th career start in one, has work to do after a 1-over 71. Tyrrell Hatton, England’s No. 10 highest-ranked player in the world, opened with a 2 of 72.
Phil’s short trip?
Mickelson, who finished second behind Darren Clarke at the Royal St. George’s Open in 2011, likely won’t be around for the weekend. He shot 10 of 80, without a single birdie, and is tied for last in the field with Australia’s Deyen Lawson.
Other big names who will have to play well on Friday to make the cut: Adam Scott (3-over 73), Patrick Cantlay (4-over 74), Jason Day (5-over 75), Marc Leishman (5-over 75) and Harris English (5-over 75).
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