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Open Championship: Shock Leader, Bryson’s Redemption & Rory’s Stunning Collapse
Surprising Starts and Struggles at the 154th Open Championship
Published: Jul 16, 2026, 05:40 PM ET — Southport, England
The Open is one of golf’s biggest tournaments. Think of it like the Super Bowl of British golf, but played over four days on special grassy courses by the sea. This year is the 154th version, held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. Let’s break down what happened in the first round in a super simple way.
What Is a First-Round Leader?
In golf, everyone plays one round (18 holes) on day one. The person with the lowest score is called the “first-round leader.” In recent years, some very unexpected people have been leaders after day one.
- Two years ago: Dan Brown from England led after round one. He grew up on a pig farm, dropped out of college, and almost quit golf. He shot a 65 (no bogeys — a bogey is one over the ideal score per hole) at Royal Troon in Scotland. Before that, he had missed the cut (gone home early) in 7 of his last 8 events and was ranked 272nd in the world.
- The year before that: Christo Lamprecht, an amateur (someone who doesn’t play for money) from Georgia Tech, shot 66 and shared the lead. That was the best amateur first-round score in 12 years.
Important Point: First-round leaders at The Open are often surprising nobody expected!
Jackson Suber: The New Surprise Leader
Jackson Suber is more experienced than Brown or Lamprecht, but his lead is still shocking because:
- He had never been to Europe before last Saturday.
- He had never played on a “links course” (a bumpy, windy seaside course with no trees).
- He is 26, from Tampa, Florida.
Yet he shot 5-under 65 and leads by one stroke over Sungjae Im and Dan Brown.
Royal Birkdale is one of the hardest courses in The Open group, and it was dry, firm, and fast — like a concrete lawn.
How Did He Do It?
Suber said:
“I’ve just been playing good the last few months… trusting my caddie to figure out where we’re going to hit it.”
His helpers:
- Watched YouTube videos of every hole.
- Worked with his stats guy and caddie, Greyson Porter.
- Arrived Monday; played only 27 practice holes before the real round.
His Round Step-by-Step
- First 9 holes: 2 birdies (one under ideal), 2 bogeys.
- Holes 10–11: back-to-back birdies.
- Hole 13: bogey.
- Last 5 holes: 4-under total.
- Hole 14: 11-foot birdie putt.
- Hole 16: 6-foot birdie putt.
- Hole 17: 7-foot eagle putt (eagle = two under ideal). He hit a 323-yard drive, then a 4-iron from 233 yards, choking up on the club because the ball was above his feet.
Suber also credits:
- A mental coach.
- A former college assistant.
- New golf ball and driver (the stick you hit the ball with).
He had 3 top-six finishes in his last 6 pro events.
Important Point: Suber is only the 7th player to start at Royal Birkdale with 65 or lower. Craig Stadler shot 64 in 1983 — the only better one.
He even visited Liverpool with his fiancée and friends but refused to drive on the left side of the road: “Because I’m trying to make it here for four days.”
Bryson DeChambeau Bounces Back
Bryson had been criticized for missing the cut in the first 3 major tournaments (the 4 biggest of the year). Nick Faldo and Brandel Chamblee said he lacked a plan for links golf and did too many YouTube videos.
But on Thursday, Bryson shot 3-under 67, tying for 4th.
- He used 3D-printed irons (custom-made clubs) for the first time in a major.
- He gained good points on approach shots but hit few fairways (the short grass).
- Stats: 14th time in 10 years he hit 4 or fewer fairways in a major round — the most of any player.
He said: “There’s some driving holes out there I’ve got to work on.”
Scottie Scheffler’s Hot Start
Scottie missed a cut last week but began strongly:
- Birdies on 4 of first 6 holes.
- Hit all fairways and greens early.
- Putted great at first (72 feet of makes!).
Later, his putting cooled. A bad break on hole 17 (ball under a wire in tall grass) caused a bogey. He finished 2-under 68, tied for 13th.
He said if he keeps striking the ball well, he’ll be fine.
Rory McIlroy’s Rough Day
Rory (Masters champ) shot 2-over 72 with 4 birdies and 6 bogeys.
- Lost almost 3 strokes on putting (ranked 148th of 156).
- Greens were uneven: some alive, some dead — hard to judge speed.
- This was his 6th time over par in an Open first round.
He liked his driving and said the dry rough made the ball spin weirdly. He’s not out of it yet.
Work to Do on Friday
Many big names must shoot low (good) scores Friday to avoid missing the weekend.
- Wind shifted, making Tuesday afternoon harder.
- Shane Lowry (1-under 69) hopes for easier wind Friday morning.
In Danger of Missing Cut
- Gary Woodland: 8 over
- Joaquín Niemann: 6 over
- Justin Rose: 5 over
- Sam Burns, Cameron Smith, Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Harris English, Wyndham Clark: 3 over
- Matt Fitzpatrick, Adam Scott, Patrick Reed, Hideki Matsuyama: 2 over
Smith (2022 Open winner) said: “It was tough out there.”
Summary
The first round of the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale was full of surprises. Jackson Suber, a Florida guy who’d never seen a links course, leads after 65. Bryson rebounded with 67, Scheffler stayed solid, and Rory struggled. Lots of stars need big Fridays to survive. Golf is weird — that’s why we love it!
FAQ
Q: What is a links course?
A: A seaside golf course with bumpy ground, wind, and almost no trees — different from normal parks.
Q: What does “missing the cut” mean?
A: If your score is too high after two rounds, you go home and don’t play the weekend.
Q: Why was Suber’s lead so surprising?
A: He’d never been to Europe or played this type of course before Saturday.
Q: What is an eagle in golf?
A: Scoring two shots under the expected number on a hole — like a bonus!
Q: Who is the only player to beat Suber’s 65 at Birkdale?
A: Craig Stadler, with a 64 in 1983.
