Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin and Nicolai Hojgaard take early lead at the Open
The highlight for the 22-year-old McKibbin, who learned his craft at Rory McIlroy's Holywood Golf Club an hour down the road, was an eagle at the par-five seventh after teeing off in the first group at 6.35am.
He had slipped to two over after four but two birdies and the eagle took him to the turn in a two-under 34.
Dane Hojgaard, in the same group, birdied the two par fives at the second and seventh to also be two under with him and McKibbin two of only eight players under par of the 39 out on the course.
Two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington, who had been given the honour of getting the championship underway, birdied the first hole, but otherwise struggled on the greens and was two over at the turn.
McKibbin was one of a number of LIV golfers performing well.
Six-time major winner and 2013 Open champion Phil Mickelson was providing the early entertainment, holing a bunker shot for par at the short third having left his first attempt in the sand to sit one under after six holes.
Lee Westwood, back at the Open for the first time since 2022 after coming through qualifying, birdied his second hole to join the left-hander in an early tie for third.
Another of his LIV cohorts Dustin Johnson, the two-time major champion who has slipped to 969 in the world following his move to the Saudi breakaway, was level par through four holes.
Canadian Taylor Pendrith was the first to find out of bounds down the left on the intimidating first hole.
That was a fate which befell McIlroy six years ago when the tournament returned to the Dunluce Links but the Northern Irishman had to wait for his shot at redemption as he was not due to tee off until 3.10pm.
Out with Ryder Cup team-mate Tommy Fleetwood and American rival Justin Thomas, he was facing a greater chance of rain, some of it heavy, with winds gusting up to 20mph.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Padraig Harrington leads Justin Leonard by 2 shots at Senior British Open
BERKSHIRE, England (AP) — Padraig Harrington birdied the final hole Saturday for another 5-under 65 for a two-shot lead over Justin Leonard going into the final round of the Senior British Open as the Irishman goes for his second senior major of the year. Harrington was among four players who had at least a share of the lead at some point during the round on the Old Course at Sunningdale. He seized the lead with birdies on the 13th and 14th hole, and a closing birdie added to his slight lead. Harrington was at 13-under 197. He has been in the United Kingdom the last three weeks for links golf, starting with the Scottish Open. He won the U.S. Senior Open in Colorado a month ago. Leonard, the only PGA Tour Champions player to make the cut last week in the British Open at Royal Portrush, also had a second straight 65. Thomas Bjorn had a 67 and was three shots behind. Harrington and Leonard are past British Open champions — Leonard at Royal Troon in 1997, Harrington winning the first of two claret jugs a decade later at Carnoustie (2007) and Royal Birkdale (2008). Either one can become the fifth player to win the British Open and Senior British Open, a feat last accomplished by Darren Clarke in 2022. Steven Alker, a two-time Charles Schwab Cup winner who opened with a 73, tried to get back in the game. He shot 66 and was among four players at 8-under 202, five shots behind. The winner is exempt for the 154th British Open next year at Royal Birkdale. ___ AP golf:
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Davidson makes magic moments but Woad stays in control
Australia's Karis Davidson shot a stunning 66, including eight birdies in 10 mid-round holes, to briefly surge into contention at the Women's Scottish Open before falling back in the closing stages. The Gold Coast 27-year-old carded a third round that was one shot better than leader Lottie Woad but still found herself 10 shots adrift, in a tie for ninth place. She is joined by compatriot Cassie Porter, who shot a 69 that also left her seven under on the leaderboard at Troon on Saturday. Woad had four birdies in a six-hole stretch around the turn and posted a 5-under 67 to maintain her two-shot lead as she closes in on victory in her professional debut. Woad has such control of her game at Dundonald Links that she went 33 consecutive holes without a bogey until dropping a shot on the 15th. Her lead was down to one shot, but the 21-year-old from England responded with a short wedge she played perfectly on the 17th, leaving her an 8-foot birdie putt she converted. A closing par put her at 17-under 199. Nanna Koerstz Madsen, who caught Woad early with an eagle on the par-5 third hole, fell behind after Woad's birdie streak. But the Dane rallied with three straight birdies and a couple of par saves for a 67. She was two shots behind, along with Sei Young Kim (66), who made a long eagle putt on the 14th and got up-and-down for birdie on the par-5 closing hole to get within two shots. Nelly Korda played bogey-free, but the American managed only two birdies on another relatively calm day by Scottish standards. Her 70 left her five shots behind Woad, who already has had a golden summer in Europe. Woad, who won the Augusta National Women's Amateur in 2024 and rose to No.1 in the women's amateur ranking that year, won the Irish Women's Open three weeks ago on the Ladies European Tour. Then she missed the play-off by one shot in the Evian Championship. But her tie for third in the LPGA major earned her a tour card, and she decided to skip her senior year at Florida State and turn pro. And now she has a chance to win in her debut. "That's the aim, to shoot as low as possible and keep giving myself chances," Woad said. "If someone shoots lights out, fair enough. I'm excited for the opportunity. I've got the experience and I'll try to use that." Another Australian, Minjee Lee, who was joint third after the first round, improved from Friday's travails with a 70 but is downfield in joint 27th on four over.
Associated Press
24 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Padraig Harrington leads Justin Leonard by 2 shots at Senior British Open
BERKSHIRE, England (AP) — Padraig Harrington birdied the final hole Saturday for another 5-under 65 for a two-shot lead over Justin Leonard going into the final round of the Senior British Open as the Irishman goes for his second senior major of the year. Harrington was among four players who had at least a share of the lead at some point during the round on the Old Course at Sunningdale. He seized the lead with birdies on the 13th and 14th hole, and a closing birdie added to his slight lead. Harrington was at 13-under 197. He has been in the United Kingdom the last three weeks for links golf, starting with the Scottish Open. He won the U.S. Senior Open in Colorado a month ago. Leonard, the only PGA Tour Champions player to make the cut last week in the British Open at Royal Portrush, also had a second straight 65. Thomas Bjorn had a 67 and was three shots behind. Harrington and Leonard are past British Open champions — Leonard at Royal Troon in 1997, Harrington winning the first of two claret jugs a decade later at Carnoustie (2007) and Royal Birkdale (2008). Either one can become the fifth player to win the British Open and Senior British Open, a feat last accomplished by Darren Clarke in 2022. Steven Alker, a two-time Charles Schwab Cup winner who opened with a 73, tried to get back in the game. He shot 66 and was among four players at 8-under 202, five shots behind. The winner is exempt for the 154th British Open next year at Royal Birkdale. ___ AP golf:
