British Open: Tommy Fleetwood holds share of lead as big names struggle

Late in the afternoon Thursday, cameras at the Open Championship captured a lone golfer — an amateur hacker, presumably — out on the wide, flat beach beyond the clubhouse at Royal Liverpool. This hero was spending his twilight hammering balls off in the direction of the Irish Sea, heedless of the major championship happening behind him, swinging without a care in the world.

He was almost surely the only person holding a club within a mile of Royal Liverpool who wasn’t quaking in anticipation of challenging the club’s tiny greens, swirling winds, subterranean bunkers and diabolical out-of-bounds markers. Day 1 of the Open Championship indeed under largely clear skies, but the weather — as it always does — will get no better than it was Thursday.

That’s good news for three players in particular: Christo Lamprecht, the 6-foot-8 amateur who claimed the early lead at 5-under; Tommy Fleetwood, the still-majorless English star who matched him; and Emiliano Grillo, who carded five birdies in the final eight holes to join them. For the rest, the day was a cascade of hopeful moments and crushing disappointment, plus the knowledge that it’s only going to get tougher from here.

The shot of the day belonged to Sepp Straka, who figured out that the best way to clear the devilish pot bunkers all along the course was to simply tiptoe between them:

Best escape of the day: Collin Morikawa, who birdied the fourth while dodging Phil Mickelson’s overcooked drive (watch closely in the top left corner):

Fleetwood, in particular, drew the love of the crowd given that he’s from nearby. “I am one of them, one of the guys that's out there [in the gallery],” he said after his round. “I'm a fan of the game. I'm from this area. Yes, I feel at home, and to feel that support, it means a lot.”

A Fleetwood win would be a phenomenally popular victory, particularly in England. Meanwhile, many of the early favorites either struggled or couldn't put together consistent rounds. Scottie Scheffler's inconsistent putting left him at 1-under, alongside Brooks Koepka. Rory McIlroy's feast-or-famine day finished at even par, while Jon Rahm's frustrating afternoon ended with a bogey on 18 and a 3-over finish.

Unluckiest golfer of the day: take your pick. On one hand, Rickie Fowler, who suffered two straight out-of-bounds shots on the wicked 18th to drop from 2-under to 1-over on the final hole. On the other, Viktor Hovland, who suffered a grievous aerial assault:

Then again, there’s the sad story of Taichi Kho, the 22-year-old Asian Tour player who was in an 18th hole greenside bunker in two strokes … and walked off the hole with a 10. Ouch.

The field remains bunched, with more than a dozen players ending their day sitting within three strokes of the lead. Winds are expected to pick up Friday with rain rolling in on Saturday, so any player who hasn’t maximized their scoring opportunities won’t get many more chances to do so.