Jacob Skov Olesen overcomes major inexperience to set early lead at The Open
That meant he had to sacrifice his amateur exemptions for this year's Masters and US Open so this was only his second appearance at one of golf's premier events after debuting at Troon 12 months ago.
Jacob Skov Oleson cards an early lead at Royal Portrush. pic.twitter.com/sZxO1nONL4
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 17, 2025
After making the turn in one under, he birdied the 10th, holed a 40-foot eagle putt at the 12th and chipped in for birdie at the 15th to move clear on five under but bogeyed the last.
That dropped him into a share of the lead with China's Haotong Li, withMatthew Jordan, the Royal Liverpool golfer who has finished 10th in the last two Opens, a shot behind.
He enjoyed a run of three birdies immediately after making the turn on one under, only to drop a shot at the par-three 13th.
Veteran Lee Westwood rolled back the years to be bogey-free through 13 holes to also reach four under before dropping his first shot.
The 52-year-old, back at the Open for the first time since 2022 after coming through qualifying, finished joint-fourth on this course six years ago and used all his experience to manoeuvre himself to the top of the leaderboard.
He birdied the par-five second and then drove the green at the 372-yard par-four fifth to pick up another shot and a take a share of the lead for the first time.
Westwood made the most of Portrush's other two par-fives, the seventh and 12th, with birdies at both just as the rain began to get heavier but then three-putted the 14th.
A short game masterclass.Mickelson holes out from the sand. pic.twitter.com/hEX1brav4i
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 17, 2025
The morning was also good for Westwood's fellow LIV golfer Phil Mickelson, who carded his best Open round since the third day at Carnoustie in 2018 with a one-under 70 – the highlight of which was a holed bunker shot for par at the third having left his first in the sand.
The 2013 Open champion has missed the cut in five of his last seven majors and since the 2023 Masters has not finished higher than 43rd.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, 2019 champion Shane Lowry and two-time major winner and one of the favourites this week Jon Rahm were all two under well into their front nine.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Scheffler can follow in Woods' history-making footsteps, claims Els
It was a performance that had more than a trace of Woods at his very best. Scheffler is the first world No.1 to win The Open since Woods in 2006 and has now won all four of his majors having led after 54-holes - a trait Woods was famously known for after converting an overnight lead into a major title 14 times. Both men also took 1197 days to win their fourth major from the date of their first triumph, and the pair are two of only four players – the other two being Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player – to win the Masters, The Open and PGA Championship before the age of 30. PGA TOUR Champions announces the Portugal Invitational to be held at The Els Club Vilamoura on course designed by Ernie Els (Image: Els Club Vilamoura) And two-time Open Champion, and fellow four-time major winner, Els thinks as long as Scheffler continues to dominate, his name will carry on being mentioned alongside Woods'. 'There's always going to be similarities between Scottie Scheffler and Tiger because of the way he's performing and the way he's winning,' said Els, speaking at the launch of his new golf club, Els Club Vilamoura. 'It's very much the way Tiger did things. He takes leads and he doesn't relinquish those leads. He's not scared of winning anymore, he knows how to win. He's becoming ruthless in that manner. 'His game is awesome. He's got no real weakness. His putting is one of his strengths now, so all in all, he's very, very interesting to watch. 'I'd love to see what he does in the next five to 10 years.' Scheffler's triumph at The Open also continues the recent stronghold on the competition held by US players. The last three Claret Jugs have been lifted by those who hail from across the Atlantic thanks to Xander Schauffele and Brian Harman's wins in 2024 and 2023 respectively. For Els, it dispels the myth about Americans struggling on links courses. 'I think you adapt,' continued the South African, who won his first Open at Muirfield in 2002 before winning the Claret Jug 10 years later at Royal Lytham & St Annes. 'When you're a good ball striker, and you have to be a good ball striker on links land, if you can strike the ball out of the middle of a club, you will learn how to play on links. 'It's normally a good ball striker who will get himself to learn how to play. Scottie Scheffler has learned how to do that. David Duval did that, Phil Mickelson too. 'There are a lot of players that have done that and had success on links course] that have never really played links. 'When you find your way around links, you're going to have success, and that's what's going on.' Els played a nine-hole exhibition to open the Els Club Vilamoura alongside Scottish legend Colin Montgomerie and 2001 Open Champion David Duval. The Algarve course is a championship-standard 18-hole golf course that features a luxury clubhouse and signature amenities such as the 261 Bar, and was built on the redesigned Victoria course, which hosted the Portugal Masters from 2007 to 2022. It will host the new PGA Champions Tour event, the Portugal Invitational, after signing a five-year deal. The first edition of the event is set to be held between 31 July to 2 August 2026. Els said: 'Golf is in the pretty sweet spot at the moment and [creating this course] has been a really nice venture. We want the conditions to be absolutely perfect and for people to have a great experience and good food.' Montgomerie added: 'The golf course is superb, and the clubhouse is fantastic. It's not just a course for the present; it's a course for the future as well.' PGA TOUR Champions announces the Portugal Invitational to be held at The Els Club Vilamoura on course designed by Ernie Els. PGA TOUR Champions, Arrow Global Group, Turismo de Portugal, and Turismo de Algarve will deliver a five-year partnership and will debut the week of July 27, 2026, and will feature a field of 78 players. For more information visit
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Amateur English golfer, 22, equals staggering course record of Masters champion
Max Hopkins, who works as a part-time barman alongside his exploits on the course, has stunned the golfing world by shooting a record equalling low round at a prestigious course that has hosted the Open A part-time barman has stunned the golf world by equalling the record for a round at one of the UK's most famous courses. Max Hopkins, who works pulling pints at a pub in the Hertfordshire town of Bishop's Stortford, shot an incredible nine under par 63 at the historic Royal Liverpool. It equalled the same score shot by Masters and US Open winner Jon Rahm at the 2023 Open Championship. Hopkins was taking part in the English Men's Amateur Championship when he shot his sensational round at the course where Tiger Woods won the Open in 2006 - it has hosted 13 Open tournaments. It was a far cry from pulling pints at The Star pub, in Bridge St, Stortford That's where Hopkins can be found working as his part-time job to fund his attempts to make it as a professional in the world of golf. Hopkins, 22, said: 'It didn't really sink in at the time. Towards the end of the round, as it was going so well, I did start to think what the course record was? 'It was one of those days where everything went well. It was certainly a very proud moment when I realised I'd equalled the score of someone like Jon Rahm. "I only found out the significance of the score when I finished and I saw the chat in a golf WhatsApp group of my friends back in Bishop's Stortford.' His girlfriend Sophie Kelsell, 22, was caddying for him over the week. The couple travel to Holland for another tournament next week. He added: 'I work in the pub to earn some money to make ends meet and to try and give me a chance of making it a pro. "It's difficult but it's just the way it it. I've got no sponsorship at the moment. I can't thank my girlfriend and all my family enough for all their support. His dad Peter said: "The dedication young golfers have to show these days to try and make it is incredible. "From equalling the record of a course like Liverpool to back working behind the bar of the Star and he always gives his all. It's tough for youngsters today and we're all very proud of Max." Hopkins, a former pupil at Hockerill Anglo-European College, Bishop's Stortford and Leventhorpe School, Sawbridgeworth, is a member of Bishop's Stortford Golf Club. He started playing when he was just two-years-old and was a club member when he was six. He reached the final of the tournament where he was eventually beaten by Romford's Henry Styles in the 36-hole climax to the centenary championship.
Scotsman
5 hours ago
- Scotsman
Why DP World Tour card-chasing trio have made big call to play in Scotland
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It's normally a bigger dilemma than you might expect, though, on this occasion, the decision seemed pretty straightforward for David Law, Daniel Young and Euan Walker. The HotelPlanner Tour trio are teeing up on the DP World Tour this week, having opted to play in the Nexo Championship, which is being held at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, as opposed to the Irish Challenge at Killeen Castle in Co Meath. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The fact the event on Scottish soil carries a $2.75 million prize fund compared to the Irish one offering around $350,000 might suggest it was a no-brainer, but not necessarily so. David Law pictured during last week's Farmfoods Scottish Challenge at Schloss Roxburghe in Kelso |Especially not when Law, Young and Walker are aiming to secure a season of starts on the DP World Tour next year by graduating from the HotelPlanner Tour at the end of the current campaign. To put it in perspective, Law has barely played on the DP World Tour since losing his full playing status at the end of last season. He teed up in three events right at the start of the new season but, other than that, has only played in the Magical Kenya Open. Young also competed in Kenya and the Turkish Airlines Open as well while Walker's last appearance on the main circuit was more than two years ago in the 2023 Hero Indian Open. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Players have fallen into the trap in the past of being enticed by DP World Tour opportunities and, occasionally, someone has hit the jackpot by securing an exemption and, in turn, never looking back. Location is a big factor this week Now more than ever, though, players are aware that even taking a single week off from the bread and butter of the ultra-competitive HotelPlanner Tour might come back to haunt them when those coveted 20 DP World Tour cards are handed out in Mallorca at the end of the season. One of the reasons why Law, Young and Walker have decided on a change of environment this week is that it's an assignment on Scottish soil, a ground-breaking one, too, as the Old Course at Trump International Golf Links stages a DP World Tour event for the first time. In the case of Law and Young, they will also be teeing up in the knowledge that they have both effectively secured top-tour tickets for 2026. On the back of a win in the D+D REAL Czech Challenge last month, Law sits fourth on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, with Young is up to sixth after his maiden title triumph in the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A at Schloss Roxburghe in the Borders on Sunday. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After playing together in the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge, Euan Walker and Daniel Young are now teeing up on the DP World Tour this week in the Nexo Championship |'I think a little bit after last week especially,' said Young in reply to being asked if this week was something of a free shot for him. 'I've got myself in a nice position on the HotelPlanner Tour and I'll be teeing up with the same expectations I had last week, to be honest. 'My game is good and I was up playing the course with Davy (Law) a week past Friday. I've played it a good few times over the years and it suits my game as you've got to be strong off the tee. It will just be interesting to see how they set it up as it can get pretty blustery up there.' It can, indeed, as the players competing in last week's Staysure PGA Seniors Championship discovered, with only winner Bo Van Pelt and runner-up Darren Fichardt ending a challenging four days in red figures and that was despite a number of the tees being moved forward in one of the rounds. 'I probably need one more good result' Walker, who will be getting his first look at the Martin Hawtree-designed course, sits 14th on the HotelPlanner Tour points list after finishing third behind Young at Schloss Roxburghe. Three years in a row, he narrowly missed out on securing a step up after heading into the Grand Final sitting around 20th and is determined to be closer to the top ten on this occasion. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think I am now sitting in a similar position to where I was in 2023,' said the Ayrshireman. 'I probably need one more good result like the one last week. If not that, then I need to be consistent for the rest of the season and I've been consistent (as evidenced by by making the cut in 15 of his 17 starts) so far.' It would be correct to say that Young took time to find his feet on the second-tier tour, finishing 173rd in the rankings in 2021 then 77th and 100th the next two years. There were clear signs, though, that he was starting to make headway as he made it to the Grand Final for the first time last season and his weekend win came after finishing third and second in his previous two starts. Daniel Young shows off the trophy after his weekend win in the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A at Schloss Roxburghe near Kelso | Five Star Sports Agency 'It was great to get across the line,' admitted the 33-year-old Perth man, who is coached by Ladybank head pro Sandy Smith. 'Yeah, this is proper progress. I've said this to a couple of the young guys. Gregor Graham, for example. The first year out here is tough. The travelling, for starters. Seeing different places, being in an airport every week. It's not easy and you've got to get used to that. 'The standard out here gets better every year. There are so many good players. Young guys starting out and guys coming back off the DP World Tour. So to have had the run of events that I've just had is obviously very satisfying.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A total of 15 Scots are playing in this week's event, with Law, Young and Walker joining DP World Tour regulars Connor Syme, Ewen Ferguson, Calum Hill, Grant Forrest, Richie Ramsay and Scott Jamieson. Four-time PGA Tour winner Martin Laird is also in the field while Marc Warren, Ryan Lumsden and Rory Franssen have all secured invitations.
