Harris English, Matt Fitzpatrick in 5-way tie for lead at Open Championship

Harris English and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick joined Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen, China’s Haotong Li and South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout with 4-under-par 67s to share the first-round lead of the Open Championship on Thursday at Portrush, Northern Ireland.

Golfers battled wind gusts and, for those playing in the middle of the day, rain that was bothersome at times at Royal Portrush Golf Club.

English reached 5 under for the solo lead with his seventh birdie of the round at the par-5 No. 12 before a bogey on No. 14 and pars the rest of the way.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler ended up at 3 under along with Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Englishmen Matthew Jordan and Tyrrell Hatton.

There are 10 golfers, including earlier finishers Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark and Lee Westwood of England along with Rasmus Hojgaard, Rickie Fowler, England’s Justin Rose and 2023 champion Brian Harman at 69.

Lucas Glover, aided by an eagle on the par-5 second hole, reached 4 under through seven holes before a couple of bogeys on the backside left him at 2 under as well.

Phil Mickelson, the tournament’s 2013 champion, led at 2 under at the round’s midway mark before finishing with 70. He provided an early thrill by holing a shot from the bunker for a par on the third hole.

Other scores of interest included Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Ireland’s Shane Lowry at 70.

Fitzpatrick pulled even with the leaders with a chip-in on the par-3 16th hole. His attempt from well below the hole hit the pin and dropped in. Earlier, he posted an eagle on the par-5 third hole.

Olesen, making his third appearance in a tour event, used an eagle on the par-5 12th hole to move into the lead. His second bogey of the round on the final hole cost him the mid-day solo lead.

Li had a bogey-free round with a pair of birdies on each side.

Scheffler notched birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 for a strong closing stretch. Two of his five birdies in the round came on par-3s.

Chris Gotterup, who was coming off the weekend’s victory in the Genesis Scottish Open, shot 72. He went 2 under through 12 holes before three consecutive bogeys on Nos. 13-15.

–Field Level Media