Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau Get Off to a Good Start at The Open

What Happened at the 154th Open Championship?

SOUTHPORT, England — The 154th Open Championship (a big, famous golf tournament) kicked off on Thursday. The world’s No. 1 golfer, Scottie Scheffler, had an interesting start. He is the defending (last year’s) Open champ and was playing at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

Important Point: Scheffler was coming off his first missed cut (meaning he didn’t play well enough to continue) in nearly four years at last week’s Scottish Open. So this was a bounce-back moment for him.

Scottie Scheffler’s Tricky 17th Hole

On the 17th hole (a par-5, which means good players expect to take 5 shots), Scheffler hit his ball way off to the right into super thick grass called "rough."

• His ball was under a wire and buried in the heavy grass.
• He hoped someone had stepped on it to make it easier to find or hit, but nobody admitted to it.
• He said: "I’m hoping somebody stepped on it, but nobody would fess up. Apparently, nobody did. It was just one of those things."

Scheffler thought about taking a one-shot penalty (a small punishment where you lose a shot) because the ball was in an "unplayable lie" (a spot too hard to hit from). But he decided to just swing at it.

• He was shocked at how deep the ball was.
• He didn’t think he could get it out, but he did!
• His third shot skipped across the fairway (the short grass between tee and hole).
• He ended up with a bogey (one shot worse than par) on the easiest hole of the day.

He joked: "Sometimes, you hit it over there and you get a clean lie… and then other times like today, you pay a pretty severe price. But I guess don’t hit it offline."

Scheffler’s Good Overall Round

Even with that hiccup, Scheffler finished at 2-under 68 (2 shots better than the standard score), tying for 10th place after the early group of players.

Here’s how his day went:

1. Hot start: Birdies (one shot better than par) on 4 of the first 6 holes.
   • 14-foot putt on No. 2
   • 7½-foot putt on No. 3
   • 4½-foot putt on No. 5
   • 43½-foot bomb (a really long putt!) on No. 6
2. Only mistake on the front side: Bogey on par-3 seventh after a bad tee shot.
3. Putter cooled off: 9 straight pars before the bogey on 17.
4. Finished strong enough for a good major start.

He said: "Anytime you can shoot under par to start a major championship, it’s a good spot to be in… Golf is played over 72 holes, and I definitely liked what I saw today."

Bryson DeChambeau’s Comeback Round

Scheffler’s playing partner was Bryson DeChambeau, who missed the cut in the first three majors (big tournaments) this year. He shot 3-under 67 and tied for third after the early wave.

• He used a full set of 3D-printed irons (special clubs he made himself).
• He had 5 birdies and 1 bogey (on 18th).
• He gained more than 2½ strokes on approach (was way better than average getting to the green).

The Nick Faldo Comments

Before the round, three-time Open winner Nick Faldo criticized Bryson on TV (Sky Sports):

• Faldo said Bryson had "zero clue of strategy" on links courses (golf courses by the sea with bouncy ground).

Bryson didn’t talk to reporters but told an official from The R&A (the golf rule group):

• "I think you’ve got to be a lot more strategic… I feel like I did a really good job today of being incredibly strategic."

That sounded like a polite clap-back (response) to Faldo.

Important Point: Bryson is trying not to be the first multiple-major winner in 28 years to play all four majors and miss the cut in every one. Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw were the last to do that, back in 1998.

Bryson said: "Yeah, definitely satisfying… there’s three more days, dude. There’s still a lot of golf to be played."

Summary

• Scottie Scheffler started the Open with 2-under 68, tied 10th, after a rough patch on 17 but a hot front nine.
• Bryson DeChambeau shot 3-under 67, tied third, using his own 3D-printed clubs and answering critics with smart play.
• Both are in good shape after early struggles or criticisms, but the tournament is far from over (72 holes total).

FAQ

Q: What is the Open Championship?
A: It’s one of golf’s four major tournaments, played on links courses in England or Scotland. This was the 154th edition at Royal Birkdale.

Q: What does "missed cut" mean?
A: After two rounds, the worst-scoring half of players go home. If you "miss the cut," you don’t play the weekend.

Q: What are 3D-printed irons?
A: Special golf clubs Bryson made with a printer that builds objects layer by layer, customized to his liking.

Q: Why did Scheffler hope someone stepped on his ball?
A: If a person stepped on it, it might have been pushed down or moved to a better spot in the thick grass, making it easier to hit. No one did, though!