Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau at wrong end of Open leaderboard on day one

US Open rivals Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau discovered themselves collectively on the improper finish of the leaderboard on day one of many 152nd Open.

A month after McIlroy’s nightmare end at Pinehurst helped DeChambeau declare a second US Open title, the pair have been going through an uphill battle merely to make the reduce within the 12 months’s last main at Royal Troon.

McIlroy was stage par after seven holes of his opening spherical earlier than operating up a double bogey on the signature par-three eighth, the Northern Irishman’s first try to flee a bunker on the Postage Stamp coming again to his toes.

After additionally dropping a shot on the tenth, McIlroy then carved his tee shot on the tough eleventh out of bounds in direction of the adjoining railway line, one other double bogey dropping him to 5 over par.

DeChambeau has been in good kind within the majors this season, ending sixth within the Masters and runner-up within the US PGA Championship earlier than edging out McIlroy at Pinehurst because of a surprising par save from a bunker on the 72nd gap.

His report within the Open isn’t so spectacular, nonetheless, with only one high 10 in six begins and the 30-year-old was competing at Royal Troon for the primary time as he solely turned skilled three months earlier than it final staged the Open in 2016.

DeChambeau acknowledged throughout observe that the again 9 – which is often performed into the wind – “has some enamel” however with the wind switching instructions, it was the entrance 9 which precipitated him all kinds of issues.

After three-putting the primary, a wayward drive on the third value DeChambeau one other shot and he additionally bogeyed the fourth earlier than operating up an adventurous seven on the par-five sixth.

Regardless of his power, DeChambeau may solely advance his second shot a couple of yards from heavy tough, then hit his subsequent onto the adjoining thirteenth fairway, missed the inexperienced along with his strategy and took three extra pictures to get down.

Fellow American Justin Thomas had set the early clubhouse goal on three beneath par because of birdies on the seventeenth and 18th, the two-time main winner having reached 4 beneath after 10 holes earlier than a double bogey on the twelfth.

Sweden’s Alex Noren, who solely secured his place within the area by way of a tie for tenth within the Scottish Open on Sunday, was a shot off the tempo alongside Ryder Cup team-mates Justin Rose and Nicolai Hojgaard.

Noren carded 4 birdies and two bogeys in his 69, with taking part in accomplice Calum Scott, a 20-year-old Scottish beginner, additionally safely within the clubhouse on stage par.

Former champion Justin Leonard had bought play beneath method at 6.35am, the 1997 winner at Troon returning a nine-over-par 80 that was two pictures higher than 2004 champion and taking part in accomplice Todd Hamilton.

“The opening tee shot was in all probability the perfect shot I hit all day,” Leonard admitted.