The 152nd Open Championship got off to an exciting start as Justin Thomas took the early lead with a strong performance on Thursday at Royal Troon in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Thomas, a two-time major champion, has been struggling in recent seasons but showed signs of returning to form with a 3-under-par 68 in the first round.
Thomas started off strong with a chip-in birdie at the second hole and made seven birdies in total to offset two bogeys and a double. Despite a hiccup at the par-4 12th where he lost his tee shot and ended up with a double bogey, Thomas remained in contention with birdies at the 17th and 18th holes to finish at 2 under and take the early lead.
In his post-round interview, Thomas expressed confidence in his game and his recent progress, despite not having any recent wins to show for it. He emphasized the importance of focusing on his game rather than worrying about results and seemed optimistic about his chances moving forward in the tournament.
Other notable performances in the first round included Alex Noren, Nicolai Hojgaard, Justin Rose, and Russell Henley, who all posted 2-under 69s. Justin Rose, in particular, stood out as the only player in the group to shoot a bogey-free round. Adam Scott, Matt Wallace, and Chris Kirk were also in contention with 1-under 70s.
Unfortunately, Rory McIlroy had a rough start to the tournament and found himself in danger of missing the cut after a disastrous stretch of holes that left him 6 over through 16 holes. Tiger Woods, Brooks Koepka, and Collin Morikawa had just teed off in the afternoon wave and would be looking to make their mark in the second round.
Overall, the first round of the 152nd Open Championship provided plenty of drama and excitement, setting the stage for an intriguing weekend of golf at Royal Troon. With Justin Thomas leading the way and a talented field of players in contention, fans can expect plenty of thrilling moments as the tournament unfolds.
