Check in after each round of the 2025 Open Championship for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics of the championship, and join the conversation by tweeting us @golf_com.
There’s a five-way tied atop the leaderboard at four under after Round 1 at Royal Portrush featuring Matt Fitzpatrick, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Harris English, Haotong Li and Jacob Skov Olesen, while Scottie Scheffler and Tyrrell Hatton (among others) lurk a single shot back. Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson turned back the clock with impressive opening rounds of their own, and major winners like Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry posted red numbers Thursday as well. That said, what was the biggest Day 1 surprise at the Open Championship?
Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): I know Bryson DeChambeau doesn’t have the best Open Championship record (just one career top 10), but I was surprised to see him shoot himself out of the tournament by posting a first-round 78. Since starting the major season with two top fives, he’s now on pace to miss the cut in both summer majors. I didn’t necessarily expect Bryson to win this week, but I expected more out of him than this.
Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): Golf’s favorite bridesmaid Lee Westwood fired an opening-round 69 to put himself right in the thick of another major. We haven’t seen the 52-year-old Westwood at a major since the 2022 Open Championship. For one reason or another, the Majesticks co-captain hasn’t even tried to qualify for the last two Opens. But this year, he was the medalist at the Dundonald Links qualifying and now finds himself inside the top 10 after Round 1. Will it last? Would make for a great addition to “the old guy’s still got it” section of the 2025 major season.
Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): Part of me wants to say that the biggest surprise is that Scottie Scheffler isn’t leading. If you have any doubt of his brilliance, know that he hit just three fairways and somehow is just a shot back. Incredible. But really it’s the players ahead of him. Kudos to you if you predicted Jacob Skov Olesen, Haotong Li, Matt Fitzpatrick, Christiaan Bezuidenhout or Harris English to be at the top of the board.
Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): Justin Leonard! He’s T20 — but I think you’d be hard-pressed to find anybody with him in their office pool. The last time he made a cut at a major? 2014.
James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): Matthew Jordan literally can’t be stopped at the Open. Nine straight rounds in contention at golf’s final major. The third-best to-par score at the event over the last three years, behind only Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele. Respect.
Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): Not quite as out of the blue as Westwood, but Phil Mickelson, 55, turned in a nice turn-back-the-clock round of one-under. That’s a tidy start for a guy who failed to make the weekend in this year’s first three majors.
