Cameron Tringale’s record-tying round, pot bunker carnage among five takeaways from Thursday’s first round at Genesis Scottish Open

It was nice to finally be back at a links course on Thursday for the opening round of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club.

And we already had some carnage.

Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 U.S. Open champion, found himself in a few precarious situations during the first round thanks to some pot bunkers, and Viktor Hovland followed up a cold shank with a duff.

Gotta love golf in Scotland.

Fourteen of the world’s top 15 ranked players teed it up Thursday, and due to the wind that picked up in the afternoon, many were left behind by the early wave that was able to take advantage of better scoring conditions.

Here are five takeaways from the first round at The Renaissance. Let’s start with the man atop the leaderboard.

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Cameron Tringale ties course record

Cameron Tringale of USA reacts on the 18th during Day One of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on July 07, 2022, in North Berwick, Scotland. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Tringale was unconscious with the flat-stick on Thursday, at one point draining six birdie putts in a row and nine in 11 holes, including a 40-foot bomb on the par-4 11th.

“My putter got red hot and that’s how you do it,” he said after his round.

Yes, Cameron, that’s how you get the job done.

Not a bad opening 18 for the American who leads the list of most money earned on the PGA Tour with a victory.

LIV-ing atop the leaderboard

Justin Harding of South Africa tees off the 18th during Day One of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on July 07, 2022, in North Berwick, Scotland. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

See what I did there? Anyway, Justin Harding wasn’t supposed to play this week. On June 24, the DP World Tour came down on LIV Golf defectors with sanctions, including a suspension and ban from the Scottish Open, an event the DP World Tour is co-sanctioning with the PGA Tour.

However, on July 4, sanctions for three players, including Harding and Ian Poulter, were stayed, opening the door for them to play at The Renaissance this week.

He’s taken advantage of the opportunity so far, opening with a bogey-free, 5-under 65.

Pot bunkers already supplying the goods

This didn’t look fun, but for us fans, this is the best. Seeing the best players in the world have to find their way out of positions we often find ourselves in is incredibly entertaining.

Fitzpatrick found himself in a few of the pot bunkers Thursday, but this was by far the worst lie we saw. Plugged, up against the wall, and practically dead.

One of the wildest things we've seen on a course

The simple description of this may not be impressive, but in reality, I’m not sure how this happened.

Will Zalatoris’ ball finished on top of Fitzpatrick’s poker chip ball marker. To understand how often this does not happen, Collin Morikawa’s caddie had to take a picture of it.

Never seen anything like this during a pro tournament before.

Most of the world's best outside the top 10

Jordan Spieth plays a shot on the 18th during the opening round of the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Fourteen of the world’s top 15 players teed it up Thursday (Rory McIlroy, No. 3, is the missing name, although he did get in a round with Tiger). Sam Burns, No. 9, is the only one inside the top 10 so far.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler didn’t take advantage of the easier conditions in the morning and shot one of the worst rounds of the early wave, a 3-over 73.

Jordan Spieth, the No. 12-ranked player in the world, held the early lead at one point but came home with a 2-over 37 and finished at 2 under, T-16. Jon Rahm also shot a 68 and sits with Spieth at T-16.

Zalatoris, Fitzpatrick, and Morikawa all ended the day tied for 53rd after rounds of 1 over.

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