Spieth, Koepka set pace at Birkdale
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JORDAN Spieth and Brooks Koepka tamed a fiendish links course to fire impressive 5-under-par 65s and lead the field by two shots, midway through the British Open first round at Royal Birkdale yesterday.
Spieth, world No. 3 and twice major champion, putted smoothly to pick up five birdies and did not drop a shot after fierce crosswinds buffeted the early starters.
“That was one of my top five rounds at a major,” the 23-year-old told reporters. “I’d give myself a nine (out of 10).”
Fellow American Koepka, who won the US Open last month, hit three successive birdies from the 11th hole before making his only bogey at the 16th. He chipped in from a pot bunker to eagle the par-5 17th and return to the top of the leaderboard.
“I felt like I was in control of the golf ball pretty much all day,” he said. “It was just fun to get back playing again. After taking four weeks off, it’s nice to get back inside the ropes and finally get those competitive juices flowing.”
Unlike some American players who grow used to the manicured layouts on which the majority of US Tour events are played, Koepka is a big fan of links courses and the tougher weather conditions often experienced at the British Open. “I love links golf,” he said. “So anytime I can come across the pond and play links it’s special.”
England’s Ian Poulter, runner-up at the 2008 Open on this course, managed four birdies and one bogey in a solid round of 3-under-par 67.
The Ryder Cup specialist, who has never won a major, endured a frustrating 2016 due to injury problems and had to come through qualifying to earn his place in the tournament.
“I’ve definitely had some low spots in the last 18 months and I was getting very down,” the 41-year-old told reporters.
“I’m proud of the way I’ve been able to get things back on the straight and get back to really focusing hard on what I need to do to get the level of golf back that I think I can play.”
American Justin Thomas, sporting a black tie, matched Poulter’s 67 to finish a shot ahead of world No. 2 Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, Sweden’s Alex Noren and world No. 520 Stuart Manley of Wales, the 38-year-old making his debut at a major championship.
Defending champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden finished on 69, along with England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick and Belgian Thomas Pieters.
Many players struggled in the conditions, however, and American Mark O’Meara endured a day to forget on his return to the course where he won the 1998 Open. Handed the honor of hitting the first shot of the tournament, O’Meara sent his drive out of bounds before running up a quadruple-bogey eight and he ended up signing for an ugly round of 81.
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, four-time major champion Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, runner-up to Stenson last year, were among the late starters.
Whether the top duo had the lead depended on the late starts, particularly Matt Kuchar, who made the turn at 5-under 29.
Kuchar was the US Amateur champion when he played Royal Birkdale in 1998, still not even sure he was going to turn pro. Now he’s on the short list of best players to have never won a major. And the way the majors have gone the last few years, maybe this is his time. Koepka was the 7th straight first-time winner of a major.
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