Thursday At The 153rd Open
A five-way tie for the lead at Portrush as afternoon rounds take nearly six hours. Plus, the lone Monk in the field is one off the lead, Quotables, Course Stats and an ominous Sunday forecast.
Round One By The Numbers
7,278: Yardage (7381 yard max)
73.038: scoring average
67: Low round (5 players)
5: Players tied for the lead (Olesen, Li, Fitzpatrick, Bezuidenhout, English)
19: Rounds in the 60s
31: Rounds under par (41 in 2019)
82: High round by Bryan Newman (a)
4: Rounds in the 80s
146: Feet of putts made by J.S Olesen (67)
3 of 14: Fairways hit by Scottie Scheffler (68)
2 of 14: Fairways hit by Rory McIlroy (70)
68: Score by the field’s only ordained Monk (Sadom Kaewkanjana)
3: Players in their 50s who broke 70
Good thing sunset does not officially arrive around here until 9:54 p.m.
Despite plenty of good scoring on a windy, wet, and warm Thursday in Portrush, The 153rd Open field struggled to get around at a civilized pace. On pace for a six-hour afternoon round until things sped up on the incoming nine to bring the late groups in at around 5:55, the tedious pace even tested the patience of the enthusiastic and golf-savvy crowds. At times, the Portrush galleries struggled to muster up the typical energy that accompanies the star groups.
Who could blame them when the round is that slow?
The (still) respectful vibe proved particularly noticeable with the massive galleries following Thursday’s marquee 3:12 p.m grouping headlined by Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood. The wee lads and assorted adults who normally bark out elongated “Rory's” and “Tommy’s” were more targeted with their passion, undoubtedly lulled into a stupor watching golfers stand around at tees and lean on their putters.
“We had about five groups on that par-5 6th or whatever, 7th, to play,” said Keegan Bradley after his opening 72. “Then we had long waits on all the par-5s. It gets windy like this, it gets backed up.”
At least green speed was not the issue. The fescue surfaces clocked in just under 11 feet on the Stimpmeter when the day started with Padraig Harrington’s 6:35 a.m. opening shot. Sure, there were couple of aggressively tucked pins on the easier holes, but nothing Shinnecockian that might cause extreme backups.
Thursday’s tediousness likely can be traced to the reachability of three holes that Max Faulkner and friends were not thinking about driving back in 1951. (If only someone could concoct a solution to reduce the number of players who can drive par-4s and reach par-5’s with short irons.)
Hopes of a brisk round were doomed early on when the first threesome took five hours. (And that’s with marshals finding lost balls and no one cutting off the opening off group by teeing off at No. 10.)
Another wrinkle was added and the lack of dedicated bunker rakers did not help matters. While not in the top 5 reasons today’s superior athletes can’t get around a 7,300-yard course in less time than it takes to digest the media centre macaroni and cheese, the R&A’s elimination of a dedicated bunker rakers looked like a bad decision. The certified greenkeepers have traditionally been assigned to each of the 52 groups until this year. I saw two instances where the entire threesome waited while a fairway bunker was raked by the caddie whose player had escaped but was still away and waiting on their bagman to finish the bunker grooming.
“The R&A informed us in 2024 that they intended to return to the traditional championship practice of caddies raking bunkers with effect from the 2025 Championship,” said BIGGA’s Jim Croxton. “Naturally, we respect that decision.”
The practice of assigning a dedicated bunker raker with each group dates to at least 1995 and possibly longer.
Croxton told Golf.com that the decision may have been motivated by a desire to “reduce the number of people ‘inside the ropes’ with groups to improve the spectator and TV experience.”
As for the better golf Thursday, Harris English posted a four-under par 67 late in the day to join Jacob Skov Olesen, Haotong Li, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Christiaan Bezuidenhout atop the first-round leaderboard.
One stroke back are Scottie Scheffler, Sadom Kaewkanjana, and Tyrrell Hatton after posting 68’s.
Nicolai Hojgaard, Lee Westwood, Rickie Fowler, Rasmus Hojgaard, Aaron Rai, Brian Harman, Maverick McNeely, Justin Rose, and Lucas Glover in the clubhouse at two-under-par 69.
Sadom’s 68
Winner of the most charming first round story belongs to 27-year-old Sadom Kaewkanjana, owner of a 68 after making two birdies and an eagle at the par 4 fifth. The Bangkok-born member of the Asian Tour gained entry via his Open Qualifying Series win at the Kolon Korea Open. He is making his second Open start after finishing T11 in the 2022 championship at St Andrews.
His entire post-round press chat should put a smile on your face.
Q. You've played one Open really well, and now you're playing another one quite well. Is there something about links golf that agrees with you?
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: Honestly, I play in my country, have no like links course before. So when I play links course, it's a new experience for me. I really enjoy to play a links course. It's fun to play with a windy course and tough conditions. So very enjoy to play on a links course.
Q. You felt very confident today when you started?
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: Yeah, of course because maybe I play in the Asian professional, Sampson and Riki is very nice guys.
Q. You're obviously an ordained Monk, perhaps a historic performance really given your background. Does it make you proud of what you've achieved, having also taken on those extra responsibilities in life?
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: Yeah, it's my responsibility in Thailand, so I think it's a new experience being a Monk. They help like more concentrate on the golf course or outside the golf course. It's made me a lot of focus. Forget everything outside, just live in the present. So I really enjoy being a Monk.
Q. Has it really equipped you well for this sort of stage? Just in terms of a Zen state of mind.
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: Stay in the present, just stay in my mind.
Q. Can you tell us about your eagle today.
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: Yeah, on hole No. 5, I hit very good driver. I think it's a lucky bounce from the green, bounce forward to the pin position and on the green. Then have a good putt.
Q. How far was the putt?
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: I think 20 feet. 20 feet, yeah.
Q. On No. 16, did you deliberately hit on the left side with your tee shot there?
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: Yeah, I plan to play on the left side because it's easier than the shot on the right-hand side. It's lucky to make the long putt for the birdie, but very enjoy it. Very happy to make the birdie on this hole.
Q. The logo on your chest, what is this of?
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: It's my sponsor, Singha. It's a drinking water.
Q. Did your luggage turn up finally?
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: Yeah, finally. I get back yesterday around 8:00 p.m.
Q. Just one suitcase?
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: Yeah, just one. Very happy.
Q. Can you explain how your perspective on life and on golf as well has changed the past couple years?
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: I travel a lot around Asia. I like to travel in Asia and maybe in Europe, so I really enjoy to play professional golf and very happy when I have to play on a golf course, like links course is a new experience. So very enjoy it.
Q. How do you view the rest of the week now that you've had such a good start?
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: I don't know that.
Q. The rest of the week, how do you feel looking ahead?
SADOM KAEWKANJANA: Very excited to play. Very excited to play and very excited to watch the top players play in the same conditions, same golf course, and learn how to play like them.