HOYLAKE, England — The final men’s golf major of the year is here as the 2023 British Open is underway at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
There are 156 golfers teed off Thursday, including all three major winners this year: Jon Rahm (Masters), Brooks Koepka (PGA Championship) and Wyndham Clark (U.S. Open). Reigning champion Cameron Smith is also back to defend his title.
Most of the golf world is also watching Rory McIlroy, who won the British Open in 2014, the last time the tournament was played at Royal Liverpool. That tournament also marks the last time McIlroy won a major championship.
Follow along with Golfweek and USA TODAY Sports for first-round Open Championship action from Royal Liverpool:
LIVE LEADERBOARD: The Open Championship Tournament Leaderboard Scores, Schedules, Pairings and More
Max Homa learned the course ... on YouTube
Ah, these youngsters and their approach to the game. Max Homa, who had a pair of birdies and bogeys in the first half-dozen holes on Friday morning, admitted he learned about the course via YouTube videos.
“I know very little about Hoylake actually other than Tiger’s domination hitting one driver in 72 holes,” Homa said before the tournament.
“Other than St. Andrews, I feel like (PGA Tour pros) don’t know much over there unless you’ve already played them. I’ve watched it on YouTube.
“The Open courses are so unique. Here, you can walk out and figure out where to go. There, you’ve got to do so much research.”
Despite the uneven start to the day, Homa is still in great position, just a few shots off the top of the British Open leaderboard.
Brian Harman is off to a hot start
Brian Harman shot out to a lead during the second round after making four birdies in a row on the front nine and currently has a three-shot lead at 8-under, after saving par at 12 with an incredible shot.
He is ahead of Tommy Fleetwood and amateur Christo Lamprecht, who have yet to tee off.
Max Homa hanging around, inched his way near top of leaderboard
Playing with confidence throughout his first round at Royal Liverpool, Max Homa has been efficient and is setting himself up for a potential run late in the weekend.
Homa has bogeyed only one hole, back on No. 9, but has been steady otherwise. Finishing at 3-under par, Homa’s tee shot on the par-3 No. 17 presented a chance for him to close the gap with the leaders (amateur Christo Lamprecht, Tommy Fleetwood and Emiliano Grillo at 5-under), but his birdie putt up the hill of the green was left short. Still, Homa is tied for seventh and is playing clean and balanced.
This incredible sequence from Rory McIlroy could be a gamechanger
At the end of an up-and-down day that included a lipped-out two-footer, Rory McIlroy could have gone off the rails on the 18th hole after his bunker shot failed to emerge.
But McIlroy kept his focus and pulled off an incredible shot while standing on one leg to make par and get out of Thursday with an even-par 71.
Could this be a pivotal moment?
The challenge and drama of links golf. Encapsulated by @McIlroyRory. pic.twitter.com/KqZHhIm9ZP
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2023
Justin Thomas whiffs during catastrophic day
It hasn’t been the best of years for Justin Thomas.
And his first round at the British Open? Not great.
There was one shot in particular that stood out. He was right behind one of those super tough pot bunkers at Royal Liverpool — ones that golfers like Christo Lamprecht have had to navigate — and he tried to go over it, which is probably the right move.
☠️ Justin Thomas…
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) July 20, 2023
He went too short with it, the ball hit the top of the bunker and in it went.
This wasn’t unique. Thomas struggled mightily throughout the day, playing his way to a 4-over 39 on the front and closed with a nine on the final hole of an 11-over 80 to effectively shoot himself out of the tournament.
Emiliano Grillo stays hot to close impressive first round to claim co-lead
After bogeying two of his first three holes of the day, Argentinian pro Emiliano Grillo was the best player the rest of the way. And now he’s in a tie for the lead at the British Open.
Grillo sank a 55-foot putt on No. 18 to record his seventh birdie of the day — including five on the back-9 — and close out his round at 5-under par and in a tie atop the leaderboard.
Grillo joins amateur Christo Lamprecht and Tommy Fleetwood, both of whom finished their rounds earlier Thursday.
Lynch: What if we didn't pay players at the Open (and other majors)?
Our Eamon Lynch has some ideas about to rejuvenate or “grow the game,” including one that would that would take purses and sink them into other programs.
From his column:
The purse for the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool is $16.5 million, a bounteous sum to be sure, but last among the big four and reflective of the R&A’s status as the most threadbare body in men’s golf. This is probably why the organization’s chief executive, Martin Slumbers, bemoaned the money arms race Wednesday at Royal Liverpool.
“Significant increases in prize money in the men’s professional game has resulted in the long-term reassessment of the business model for professional golf. As custodians of the game, we have to balance the prize fund at The Open with ensuring the appropriate investment in grass-roots and new golf initiatives, ensuring pathways are in place from elite amateur golf to the professional game, and most importantly, promoting women and girls’ golf, both amateur and professional,” Slumbers said. “There’s no doubt that our ability to achieve this has been impacted by the much more rapid acceleration in men’s professional prize money than we had anticipated or planned for.”
Golf’s sustainability debate has shifted from the environment to green of another kind.
No sooner had Slumbers lamented the very existence of a money race than he pulled on his skates and tried to cut in at the head of the pack. Asked if the R&A will accept largesse from the Saudis, he offered this: “We have a number of large corporate partners that help us make this thing happen. I think the world has changed in the last year. It’s not just golf. You’re seeing it in football. You’re seeing it in F1. You’re seeing it in cricket. I’m sure tennis won’t be that far behind.”
Not by accident did he cite sports in which the Saudi sportswashing enterprise is established or currently circling.
Rory McIlroy lips out putt from two feet
Rory Mcilroy out here missing 2 footers. pic.twitter.com/z6imFtpMQc
— Tour Pro 🏌️♂️ (@OfficialTourPro) July 20, 2023
Rory McIlroy, who made the turn at Royal Liverpool, dropped what cannot be viewed as anything but an unnecessary stroke. But it’s also a reminder that even the best golfers in the world aren’t immune to the frustrations of the sport.
On the green at No. 8, looking to convert a two-foot par putt, McIlroy − the No. 2 ranked men’s player in the World Golf Rankings − mishit it and saw the ball lip around the cup to force a bogey tap-in. That moved him to 1-over par and a tie for 50th.
Tony Finau putted the ball backward in a bunker. Less than five feet
A putter in the bunker.
This shot from Tony Finau went less than 5-feet.
Every shot counts the same.
On links courses, every recovery shot matters even more.
@NTTDATA_UK
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2023
A flatter series of bunkers along with the multitude of the sandy deterrents has some players struggling to figure out where to play tee shots and approaches at Royal Liverpool with the 151st Open Championship underway.
Much had been made about how grounds crews had flattened the bunkers in advance of the tournament, a move that doesn’t allow wayward shots to settle comfortably in the middle.
The result has been an array of difficult lies for players, some in fairway bunkers and others while cozying up to the greens.
For example, Tony Finau went backward in a bunker on the fifth hole, using a putter.
Is the new 17th hole playing fair? Jordan Spieth thinks so
Royal Liverpool head pro John Heggarty says any shot missing the green at No. 17 will leave a “devilishly difficult” up-and-down to save par. @TheOpen https://t.co/R66ecgcvjv pic.twitter.com/Ug8L4Yvpyw
— Golfweek (@golfweek) July 19, 2023
The new par-3 17th at Royal Liverpool has replaced the old 15th. Known as “Little Eye,” the new hole plays to 136 yards and features a raised horizon-line green, with the Dee Estuary as a backdrop, guarded by bunkers with massive fall-off areas on all sides.
The layout was altered to accommodate the new hole. What was the 16th hole is now the 15th. The former 17th hole is now No. 16, and the old par-3 15th hole has been removed.
While it gave some players difficulty in its first real test on Thursday, Jordan Spieth said he likes the addition.
“Today it was at a number where I felt like I could just put a wedge in the back of my stance on the back of a divot and just flight something, which is nice. The wind picks up or tomorrow as it changes direction, I think, and it’s blowing harder and into us, it could become carnage. But it’s fair,” Spieth said. “You have a big enough area to hit. The greens aren’t surfaces that’ll rip back if you flight the ball the rye way. You have to hit a really nice shot. If you do, you have a good look at birdie, and if you don’t you have a difficult par.
“I actually think it’s fair. I wouldn’t necessarily put it in the top three greatest short par-3s, but I think it’s a really good one, and I think it’ll be really exciting because not only do you have that hole, you have that and then 18 right afterwards that you have to hit two really, really nice tee shots.”
Who did we pick?
The last time we were in Hoylake, Rory McIlroy became the 2014 Champion Golfer of the Year after outlasting Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia. McIlroy, who finished third at St. Andrews last year, is coming off a stellar win at the Genesis Scottish Open, battling tough conditions down the stretch and birdieing the final two holes.
Cam Smith enters the week as the reigning champion thanks to his come-from-behind victory over McIlroy at the Old Course.
Before the action gets underway Thursday morning, here are Golfweek‘s picks to win and a few sleepers to keep an eye on. (For the record, none of us has the current leaders.)
Where's Sergio Garcia?
Sergio Garcia has been a staple at the Open Championship since 1997. That streak ended this year as the LIV Golf member failed to qualify.
The Spaniard played the par-72 6,973-yard West Lancashire in early July and posted rounds of 67-71, good enough for 6 under and a T-6 finish.
However, there were just five spots up for grabs. Here’s more on those who qualified at that event.
Since 1998, Garcia has made 24 starts at the Open, missing just four cuts and totaling 12 top-20 finishes, 10 of which were top 10s. His career-best finish came at Carnoustie in 2007 where he earned the silver medal.
Garcia played in two of the three major championships so far this season, missing the cut at the Masters and tying for 27th at the U.S. Open.
Another under-par round for Brooks Koepka at a major
With a solid stretch of golf on the back nine at Royal Liverpool, Brooks Koepka finished at 70 in his opening round on Thursday, one shot under par.
This is nothing new for Koepka, who has more than doubled the field in terms of rounds under par at majors in the last seven years. Of course, this success has led to five major titles, including the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
Brooks Koepka played his last 8 holes in 3-under to post 70 (-1) today.
% of rounds under par in majors since 2016
All players: 26.5%
Brooks Koepka: 59.2%— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) July 20, 2023
Players competing for record purse at 2023 Open Championship
The R&A announced the prize money payouts for the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, July 19-23, where the 2023 Champion Golfer of the Year will receive the highest earnings in championship history.
The man who hoists the Claret Jug at the end of the week will walk away with $3 million, while second ($1,708,000) and third ($1,095,000) will each clear seven figures, as well. The total purse will be $16.5 million, an 18% increase from 2022.
Fleetwood making a charge, gets to top of leaderboard
With a long birdie putt on the 16th hole, Tommy Fleetwood moved into a tie at the top of the Open Championship leaderboard at 5 under and that’s how he finished the day.
Fleetwood made his Open debut at Hoylake in 2014 but missed the cut, as he did at St. Andrews the following year and Troon in 2016.
Tommy Fleetwood makes his move.
And the fans love it.
Watch Tommy finish his round live 👉 https://t.co/nF1CsC3YNF pic.twitter.com/zxejBQTp1I
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2023
He failed to shine in another Open close to home at Birkdale in 2017, when he finished in a tie for 27th, but his runner-up showing at Portrush in 2019 and a tied-fourth placing at. St Andrews last year underlined his pedigree.
“Winning a major is a dream, or winning The Open is a huge, huge dream,” Fleetwood said. “No matter where that is, that’s always something I’ve visualized and always thought about but, having the opportunity to do it so close to where you grew up, is something that’s very unique and very special.
Here’s more on the local favorite, who lost his mother in the last year.
Hojgaards twinning at the British Open
Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard are the first set of twins to ever compete at a British Open. The twins from Denmark, who are two minutes apart, turned professional in 2019 and both also competed at this year’s PGA Championship, where Rasmus missed the cut and Nicolai tied for 50th.
So far in the first round at the British, Rasmus is near the bottom of the leaderboard at 5-over and Nicolai is even.
They join another set of brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick, who are competing for the Claret Jug, making the first time two sets of brothers are in the field since 1985.
Weather update: Lots of rain in store for Liverpool
The conditions have been near-perfect for the opening round of the 151st Open Championship, with temperatures in the mid-60s, plenty of sun poking through puffy clouds and a light breeze.
But the good news ends there.
Here’s what’s in store for the rest of the tournament:
- Friday – Rather cloudy morning with a few light to moderate showers likely. Bright or sunny spells in the afternoon with any showers dying out. (Rain: 0-1 mm, 10% 1-2 mm). High: 17°C (63°F). Low: 14°C (57°F). Winds: W to NW 10-13mph gust 14-17 mph increasing 13-16mph gust 18-23 mph by afternoon, slowly easing SW 8-10 mph gusts 12-14 mph during evening.
- Saturday – A few showers developing prior to midnight. Periods of light to moderate rain soon developing, continuing through the day and possibly into the evening. (Rain: 5-10 mm, 30% 15-20 mm). High: 18°C (64°F). Low: 15°C (59°F). Winds: S to SE 8-11mph gust 12-15mph, increasing during the morning to SW 10 to 14mph gusts 17 to 20mph (small chance gusts 25mph).
- Sunday – Low confidence in detail. Showers or longer spells of rain, potentially heavy and thundery at times. Winds highly uncertain, but moderate W or SW winds currently favored, potentially strong later.
Here's NBC's announcing team at British Open
Who’s that on the mic for the tournament broadcast by NBC and its various cable and streaming partners?
Great question. We’re here to answer it as we watch the favorites along with some of the sleepers who could win it all.
So, here you go: Here’s who’s calling the action this week:
NBC, USA Network and Peacock
Host: Mike Tirico
Play by Play: Dan Hicks, Mike Tirico, Terry Gannon and Steve Sands
Analyst: Paul Azinger, Brad Faxon, Nick Faldo and Paul McGinley
Tower: Curt Byrum and Brad Faxon
On-Course: John Wood, Notah Begay III, Smylie Kaufman, Arron Oberholser and John Cook
Essays: Jimmy Roberts
Interviews: Cara Banks
— Charles Curtis, For The Win
Where does Royal Liverpool rank among Golfweek's Best's courses?
The site of the 2023 Open Championship, Royal Liverpool, was opened in 1869 and sculpted from the Hoylake surroundings by the quartet of Robert Chambers, George Morris, Harry S. Colt, Donald Steel.
How does the historic course stack up against others in the region?
According to Golfweek’s Best rankings, the course is No. 32 on the Top 50 classic courses in Great Britain and Ireland – built before 1960.
Here’s a look at the full list.
The members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Then each layout is ranked against others in Great Britain and Ireland to produce the final rankings.
Brad Faxon thinks Scottish win was best preparation for Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy has finished in the top 10 in each of his last six starts, his longest such stretch since he had a streak of seven straight before the 2019-2020 season was suspended due to COVID-19. He made birdie on the final two holes Sunday to nip Robert MacIntyre and win the Genesis Scottish Open, his 24th PGA Tour title, and improved to No. 2 in the world.
“I don’t feel like it really proves anything,” McIlroy said on Sunday. “I don’t feel like I need to prove anything in my career, but it’s satisfying to know that for me that I can still do it.”
NBC’s Brad Faxon, who doubles as McIlroy’s putting coach, argued that there can be no better preparation for competing in a major than to duel in the heat of battle for a title ahead of one of the four weeks that matter most.
“I don’t buy that you can practice better for a major by staying home. I think this is the best thing he could have done. Is it better to finish fourth place than first? I don’t think so,” Faxon said.
McIlroy is one of our featured pairings to watch, as he sets out with Jon Rahm and Justin Rose at 9:59 a.m.
Here’s more on Rory McIlroy from our Adam Schupak, who is live on site.
Chaos at the gates made for a rocky start at Royal Liverpool
As our Adam Schupak can attest from the photo below, there were issues at the gates this morning at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, the site of the 151st Open Championship. Of course, this isn’t the first time the site has held the major event.
The British Open was at Royal Liverpool in ‘06 and ‘14, how can they not know how to handle the lines for the first day better than this? https://t.co/Akrr8gY26y
— David Dusek (@Golfweek_Dusek) July 20, 2023
This leads to a fair question: Why was the R&A not better prepared to get fans through the turnstiles? With crowd estimates this week at over 200,000 the organizing bodies must have had a plan to get these patrons through the gates, but it clearly wasn’t as effective as it could have been.
Towering Christo Lamprecht fires 66 to take early lead
Christo Lamprecht, a rising senior at Georgia Tech standing 6-foot-8, became the third South African winner of the Amateur Championship in the last six years with his victory last month. He also helped Georgia Tech to a national runner-up finish in the NCAA Championship in May.
He certainly got comfortable early at Royal Liverpool, firing a 66 to take the early lead on Thursday.
An opening 66 for the 6'8" South African.
He is the clubhouse leader at The 151st Open. https://t.co/Am5DPU4yM7
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2023
That led to our Adam Schupak coining a new name for the lanky golfer.
66 for The Lamp Post ™️ Christo Lamprecht. I’m in the process of copywriting that nickname. What do you think?
— Adam Schupak (@AdamSchupak) July 20, 2023
Here’s a look at all the amateurs in the field, from our Cameron Jourdan.
How to watch 2023 Open Championship
Coverage started Thursday at 1:30 a.m. ET on the Peacock streaming service. USA Network will have live TV coverage at 4 a.m. ET until 3 p.m., with Peacock resuming coverage until 4 p.m.
