Five-way tie for Round 1 lead at The Open 2025 with Scheffler, McIlroy in contention: Live reaction and updates

New York Times

a day ago

Through the first round of The Open 2025, there is a five-way tie for the lead at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland Getty Images
The first day of the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club featured rain, windy conditions and a lengthy opening round. It produced a five-way tie for the lead atop the leaderboard at 4-under-par between Harris English, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Jacob Skov Olesen, Haotong Li and Christian Bezuidenhout.
Local boy Rory McIlroy is in contention with a 1-under 70 despite only hitting two fairways. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is one off the lead after firing a 3-under 68, and he only hit three fairways. Two-time major winner Jon Rahm, who entered this tournament among the favorites to hoist the Claret Jug, is in the hunt with a 1-under 70, three shots off the lead.
English had the best round among the afternoon wave of golfers, getting into a share of the lead. While the rain subsided, the wind started to pick up, leading to a long first round that was still going on after 9 p.m. local time.
The second round begins at 1:30 a.m. ET on Friday (6:30 a.m. local time). Getty Images
Tyrell Hatton is interviewed on NBC and says he's generally pleased with his round, but...
"The wind certainly picked up the last 3-4 holes. ... It would have been nice to see some more putts go in, but I guess I can always find something to complain about"
McIlroy E, Thomas +1, Fleetwood +3 (16)
From the deep grass, McIlroy's shot seems too strong but he catches the backstop, which guides the ball back towards the center of the green. Fleetwood will also have a birdie putt coming up while Thomas recovers from a poor first shot, chipping a beauty to set up a short par putt.
English -4, Taylor +4, Finau -2
That's a beautiful two-shot birdie on 16 for Tony Finau! He's now at 2-under and two back of the lead...
Rose -2, MacIntyre E, DeChambeau +6 (17)
DeChambeau's intermediate game is failing him as another approach shot if off target and down the slope from the green. MacIntyre will also need an up and down for par while Rose earned a long birdie putt. Getty Images
McIlroy E, Thomas +1, Fleetwood +3 (16)
Underwhelming first shot again for McIlroy, leaving himself an in-between shot to the green. Somehow Thomas' is a bit worse, well right and into the thick grass.
English -4, Taylor +3, Kim -1 (15)
Among those lurking a little further down the leaderboard is English's playing partner Tom Kim, who sinks a birdie on 15 to fall back to 1-under-par.
Rose -2, MacIntyre E, DeChambeau +6 (17)
DeChambeau continues to dig himself a hole and he simply cannot climb out of it on 17, bogeying the hole.
Rose gave a birdie putt a decent roll but settled for an easy par. The same goes for MacIntyre. Getty Images
Tyrell Hatton gave some trademark grimaces with his second shot on 18, but it was still plenty for a solid two-putt for par. That puts the bow on a 3-under-par 68 for Hatton's opening round, and the Englishman gets a nice applause from the spectators as he walks off. Getty Images
English -4, Taylor +3, Finau -1
He can't convert the long birdie putt, but it was far from an easy two-putt for par for Harris English. He sinks it anyway, looking dangerous down the home stretch... Getty Images
McIlroy E, Thomas +1, Fleetwood +3 (15)
Not a bad shot there from McIlroy on 16, missing the green but not by much. Fleetwood joins him in a similar spot while Thomas plops his shot down in the center of the green.
McIlroy does well from there, giving himself a short, makeable par putt. Getty Images
Rose -2, MacIntyre E, DeChambeau +5 (16)
Another tee ball into the tall grass for DeChambeau on 16. Rose opts for a shorter shot off the tee but catches the fairway and MacIntyre, after two strong shots, is looking for 22 feet for par.
Three straight holes with the same results for Bryson as his second shot leaves a lot of work for par, sailing an approach shot well past the green. Rose finds the green from the fairway but has more than 30 feet to go for birdie.
Harman 69, McNealy 69, Niemann 70
Keep an eye on this group! Americans Brian Harman and Maverick McNealy have all wrapped up their rounds at a 69 on the day. As of now, that's good for two strokes off the lead. Third member of the group, LIV breakout star Joaquin Niemann, nearly joins them but bogeys 18 to end up with a 70, still in red figures at 1-under-par.
McIlroy E, Thomas +1, Fleetwood +3 (15)
Uneven lie for McIlroy and it gets him. His approach is rolling towards the flag but catches the slope and his ball rapidly makes a turn away from the flag. Fleetwood went long with his second shot but chipped within seven feet to recover and set up a par opportunity but he cannot convert, settling for a bogey.
Similar story for Thomas, getting himself within five feet for an opportunity to par the hole. He nearly canned that one.
Well, McIlroy recovered too and salvaged a par. Good work from him and Thomas shaking off poor second shots. Getty Images
Harris English has made more difficult putts than that one on 14, but he can't hit his putt straight on and drops back. We're back to a five-way tie for the lead at 4-under.
Rose -2, MacIntyre E, DeChambeau +5 (16)
Pars all around on 16. Consecutive strong recoveries for DeChambeau but pars will not be enough to get him trending back in the right direction.
McIlroy E, Thomas +1, Fleetwood +2 (14)
McIlroy's drive was on the fairway for a while but kept on rolling, landing 333 yards away from the tee box in the fringe. Fleetwood finds the fairway but Thomas finds the rough along the right side of the fairway.
His second shot is launched over the green, leaving a demanding up and down for par. The ball seemed like it would hold the edge of the green but instead trickled down the hill. Getty Images
It's been a rough day for Jordan Speith, with four bogeys in his first eight holes before finding his footing.
But he finally gets some good momentum after a long run of pars with a birdie on 15!
Rose -2, MacIntyre E, DeChambeau +5 (15)
DeChambeau is green hunting on 16 but instead he'll need to muster another difficult up and down to save par. He's been out of sorts. MacIntyre hits a beauty though, getting his first shot with 13 feet of the cup while Rose's first shot lands of the green but a nice chip gives him a tap in for par. Getty Images
Glover -2, Vegas +1, Kim -1
Just brutal for the one-time co-leader Lucas Glover, who once again misses very makable birdie putt. He's a full three strokes back of Harris English now.