Cameron Young carded an opening round eight-under 64 to grab the early clubhouse lead at the 150th Open Championship on Thursday, while Claret Jug favourite Rory McIlroy was on the charge as golfers attacked a defenceless Old Course.
There had been worries in the run up to the season’s final Major that calm winds and firm, fast conditions would leave the ancient layout vulnerable to low scoring and that’s exactly what happened with early starters taking full advantage.
Playing his first ever round at The Open, the 25-year-old American made it a memorable one as he challenged the Major Championship record score of 62 set by Branden Grace at Royal Birkdale in 2017, returning a clean card to sit three clear of Australian Cameron Smith, who birdied the last for a 67.
One shot further back in the clubhouse are Kurt Kitayama, British amateur Barclay Brown on 68 and Lee Westwood.
Young, who last month had held a share of the first-round lead at the Memorial Tournament before finishing in a tie for 60th, will not feel like he has much breathing room with a chasing pack that includes world number two McIlroy.
McIlroy got his day off to a flying start rolling in a 55-footer for birdie at the first while picking more birdies at five, six and seven and 12.
His first bogey of the day came at the 13th but he bounced back at the par-five 14th with a birdie to get back to five under before finishing with a three at the last.
Shane Lowry’s day got off to a poor start with a double-bogey six at the second and he slipped out to three over with a bogey at the fourth.
Lowry got back to level for the day thanks to birdies at the fifth, ninth and 10th holes. He again slipped back to one over after a bogey on the 13th but bounced back on the par-five 14th with a birdie.
Séamus Power made birdie on the first and 18th holes, as well as back-to-back birdies on the ninth and 10th. But a double-bogey on the 12th and three other dropped shots saw the Waterford golfer sign for a one-over 73.
Paul Lawrie, the 1999 Open champion, got the action started in an early morning chill at the “Home of Golf”, the Scotsman given the honour of hitting the first shot at St Andrews.
Ian Poulter, one of several golfers among the early starters who have signed on with the controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, was greeted by boos on the first tee.
But it was not long before England’s Ryder Cup hero was hearing the cheers again rolling in a 150-footer for an eagle on the par-four ninth.
Poulter's round would stall on the back nine but he would still return a 69 to join a pack includes Bryson DeChambeau five off the pace.
The afternoon wave will not lack for marquee attractions, led by Tiger Woods, who continues his comeback from a 2021 car crash that nearly resulted in the loss of his right leg, on the course he counts as his favourite in the world.
Woods, twice Open champion at St Andrews, begins his bid for a 16th Major title at 2.59pm alongside US Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick.
World number one Scottie Scheffler is also among the late starters as is world number three Jon Rahm of Spain.
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022
