Jacob Skov Olesen, the British Amateur champion last year from Denmark, was the first player to get to 5 under until a bogey at the last. He was joined at 67 by Li Haotong of China, and then Fitzpatrick joined the group with his marvelous chip-in. Christiaan Bezuidenhout was the only player from the afternoon wave to join them at 67.

Royal Portrush showed its teeth on Thursday as the 2025 Open Championship field got the full links golf experience. The weather shifted and changed throughout the first round to create challenging scoring conditions,

A brief look at the first round of the British Open at Royal Portrush (all times EDT): AT THE TOP: Matt Fitzpatrick, Harris English, Jacob Skov Olesen, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Li Haotong were tied at 4-under 67.

Spieth entered Portrush with four straight top-25 Open finishes, so there should be plenty of confidence that he turns in a much better round on Friday. Making up a six-shot deficit will be tough, but if Spieth can get to even-par, or even one-under, he'll have a shot to get into the top 10 before the weekend.

Five players opened with rounds of 4-under 67 at Royal Portrush and the SI Golf team debates whether the major champion in the group has an edge.

Names with a few more majors to their credit lurked not far behind. Scottie Scheffler, despite having little experience with links golf, is just a single stroke back at -3, along with Matthew Jordan, Tyrrell Hatton and Sadom Kaewkanjana, an ordained monk who’s bringing a bit of serenity to his golf game.

Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player who has not finished out of the top 10 in the last four months, a stretch that includes another major among three wins.

Matt Fitzpatrick was asked on camera to rate his opening round at the 153rd British Open on Thursday. He smiled and didn’t have to think long.

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Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood are offering reminders that the British Open doesn't discriminate against older players.

Jacob Skov Olesen is a surprise co-leader of the 153rd British Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club. The 26-year-old Dane bogeyed 18 but signed for 4-under 67, a score matched by China's Haotong Li,